The Shamisen Player
by toshimi-senpai
Summary: [Kakashi x Hanare] After the Fourth Shinobi World War, she was revived. A prideless shinobi she was addressed once by a certain masked man, had carved a path to redeem herself as one worthy the honor. Yet, no matter where she is, being a rogue ninja that she was, darkness still trailed in her every step, keeping her in constant search for a reason to live...or die trying.
1. Zero

Before there were peace there were hatred.  
Before there were unity, there were once a warring state period.  
Behind every leader there were people they failed to protect.  
Behind a group of faithful ninja there stood one who break the faith.

But not many knows,  
They are the one who valued loyalty the most,  
For betrayal haunts them too much like a ghost.

Behind every rogue ninja there's a tale.  
And this is her story.

THE SHAMISEN PLAYER  
toshimi-senpai © 2016

* * *

The blaze of war has long ended a couple of months ago. The Allied Shinobi Forces had put an end to the raging war against Akatsuki, albeit it only lasted for about three days, bringing forth another peaceful period between the lands. Even so, the children who lost their parents in the war increased proportionally, and many of them had wandered on their own and eventually ended up in their small house located right at the border of Iwagakure; in the forest.

"Where's my shamisen?" She was searching high and low for her musical instrument, looking back and forth all around the wooden house.

Kira shook her head, then looked at all the mess she had made during the process; the left-opened closets, the disarrayed chairs and even searching into the refrigerator. She then looked up to the window, and her eyes transfixed by the sight; the children was having fun with her music instrument, flicking the cords experimentally only to pull again. And again. At this point, she thought it was only a moments away before the cords snapped.

She turned to Hanare's direction to tell her what she saw, but to her surprise, she had already gone. But later she heard a thundered voice outside the house and the cries of the children scampered away in fright.

"How many times is it now, Momiji?" Hanare stepped closer to the boy, her face dark. The boy just stood there in silence, neither shaken nor guilty as he stared back at the fumed woman.

"Please play us a song before you go, Hanare Nee-san!" He said with all of his heart, his eyes closed as she knelt before him, preparing for the worst, but later he felt a gentle pinch on his cheek before she pulled away, smiling.

"You know I will, do you, Momiji?" She said teasingly, her anger subsided. Though she not really that angry to begin with. From inside the room, Kira watched her gathered the children and began playing a song. The first time she praised her voice, she remembered she said that she was not particularly love to sing but she did enjoyed the rhythm of it. Apart from that, the shamisen she was holding now was one of the living proof of her former family background before she was brought to Jomiai Village to serve as a ninja.

 _This freedom now is so painful,_

 _I'm holding onto a fragile dream that could be easily destroyed on the street._

 _But we can't abandon what is important to us,_

 _We are flightless birds who can't soar through the sky,_

 _Someday I'll chase it,_

 _I'll chase your sunset._

Above all, she felt the lyrics of her songs somehow carried a much deeper meaning. Just as mysterious as the shamisen in her arms, she thought. There were once where Hanare was polishing her shamisen when she saw a small, gold emblem carved into the gentle curve of the wood of her shamisen. She knew what it was.

It was a royalty insignia.

 _Hanare... who are you exactly?_


	2. One

"You've been working so hard lately. Is everything okay? If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask me anything, you hear me?"

Hanare chuckled. Under the bright sun, Hattori find himself enchanted by her natural, reddish cheeks. They were always tinted red, the eyes displayed a strong will he wished he could see them everyday, and her lips seemed tender and plump under the light lipstick she applied. Above all, the villagers seemed to be very fond of her although she was there in the village only for two weeks every month.

"You really should stay here, Hanare. I can find a house for you if you want." The man with the sturdy built suggested again.

She shook her head, flashing him her tender smile, "No, it's alright. I'm only here for some errands. Besides, for your information," she paused, emphasizing in comical manner, "I can't stay in one place for long."

He blinked in mild confusion, "And why was that?"

"Hmm... Because there are people chasing after me?"

His eyes alighted, "Am I included in the list?"

Her intention to stop him from getting any close to her came to no avail, and she slapped herself mentally. She decided to stop giving hopes to the perseverance blacksmith. Because she knew the man's intention right from the start when he always helped her with her errands and treat her to lunch sometimes. A good man like him deserves someones better.

Not someone like her.

Not a woman who had betrayed her own village.

And not a woman who had abandoned the pledge she held towards her village, marking her as a criminal for the rest of her life.

If saying she was constantly in run won't work, maybe this would. "Actually, Hattori. There's something I must let you know." Hearing her sudden serious tone from her had drew his attention again, "I've already have someone I like."

The blatant statement as though had slapped him good on the face, and he stopped walking, "O-oh really?" He scratched his raven hair oddly, "So... where is he now?"

They continued to walk side by side, although the air seemed to change rather awkward. Hattori noticed she was smiling, her eyes straight to the clouds above, "Somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Unable to discern her with that one reply.

"Let's get something to eat. It will be my treat this time." She said gaily, intentionally changing the topic.

"So what's his name?" He continued to watch her from the side, trying to sound normal although within him he was dripping with jealousy.

"I named him, Cloud. Or maybe Marshmallow?"

"Huh? What do you mean by 'maybe'?" Every answers he received sounds as though she was joking. He would like to believe it was so he would have the chance again.

She grinned, amused, "I named him Cloud because his hair color is just like the heavy clouds carrying the gallons of rainwater. And it sometimes reminds me of the sweet taste of marshmallow. Even so," For a moment, a bitter smile touched her face, "We all know that cloud can never touch the Earth."

"I'm not letting you go, if that's what you intended me to do, Hanare." He was facing her now, making clear of himself with a resolved tone, "Though I really want to meet this 'marshmallow' someday. Be sure to give him my regards when you meet him."

 _Meet him, huh?_ She remembered the news that the former Hokage had resigned, and _he_ was appointed to be the next in the line.

 _Me meeting the Hokage?_ She scoffed inwardly, _I'm afraid I won't be able to see the sky ever again after that. Hell, I wonder if he even remember about me._

There was a minute of silence before they saw numbers of ninja hopping from one roof to another.

"Is something bad happened?" She asked lowly as she averted her face from the hopping shinobi.

"Nope. But something big is going to happen tomorrow."

"What is it?" She felt the sudden uneasiness surfacing on her throat.

"The Five Kage Summit."

End of first chapter


	3. Two

The Five Kage Summit. Which means...

She can't leave the village while hundreds of shinobi will be guarding the entrance and the borders of Iwagakure starting today onwards. There will be no interactions or missions conducted related to other nations when their Kage was away.

Which also means the security in the village was doubled now as the village will be the center for the summit this time.

Or maybe she can make it if she waste no time to run to the entrance now.

"Hattori, thanks for today but I've got to go now. I just remembered something important to do."

"Huh? What about lunch?" He asked back, baffled.

"Maybe next time. Sorry!" She started to run towards the entrance but her pace was restrained by the sudden horn echoing throughout the village.

She stood there dumbstruck while the villagers started to move themselves away from the main route of the village directed to the Tsuchikage building, which happen to be the very route she was standing right now.

The villagers stood in proud and anticipation at the sides of the route, welcoming all the four Kage which were expected to arrive in any minutes.

"What are you doing standing there? Come here!" Hattori pulled her urgently by the wrist into the crowds.

"The Glorious Kazekage from the Land of Wind, Gaara of The Sand."

The atmosphere went silent as the announcer proclaimed the arrival of the first Kage far from the watching tower. From afar, they saw the said Kage, clad in red clothing walking in his usual stride, calm and collected, carrying the title as the youngest Kage of all but bearing the bravery and the courage like one of a warrior when he was entrusted as the Regimental Commander during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Whispers and murmurs of amazement hovering over the air.

"You said it was supposed to be tomorrow." Hanare whispered lowly to him while the crowds were gradually overloaded with people who came to witness the event which rarely took place in Iwagakure.

"It _is_ tomorrow. The all four Kage will be here a day before the conference begins. Hey. Do you hear about the Hokage-"

"The Magnificient, Raikage from the Land of Lightning, A."

"What? I can't hear you." The voices of the crowds seemed to drown his voice from reaching her. It was utterly confusing, for her. She felt like she should leave the place at once, but there's something else that kept her feet rooted in place.

She wanted to see him this one time. Even just a glance. Even from afar.

"The Majestic Mizukage, Mei Terumi from the Land of Water."

Because she doubt she'd have the chance to meet him in person like this again in the future.

"The Dexterous Hokage from the Land of Fire-"

Her gradually building anticipation was suddenly diverted when she felt someone had poked her ribs, hard. She whirled to her side, seeing nothing but the hectic crowds. It didn't took her long before she saw a man holding a backpack resembling hers in his hands before disappearing into the crowds. On impulse, she looked to her shoulder to check on her bag and to her horror, it was gone.

"My satchel!"

"What's wrong?" Hattori turned to his side to look at her but she was nowhere to be found. He searched for her around the place before he caught her figure running towards the other side of the route.

"Hanare!"

He stopped on his tracks, ignoring the screams and cries of the ladies calling for his name. He turned to his right, eyes narrowed in search for the owner of the name he had barely heard earlier.

 _Just my imagination?_

"Let's go, Hokage-sama. We can't afford to be deaf for tomorrow's summit." Shikamaru remarked lazily, poking his pinky into his ear.

"Yeah. Let's go."

With that, all the four Kage had arrived in Iwagakure for their first summit after the war, in hope to maintain the peace and to discuss matters related to their nations worldwide.

Although, for some of them, the war has just begun.

~End of chapter two~


	4. Three

"Hanare, what's wrong? Did something happened?" Hattori finally catch up to her, seeing her rummaging her stolen satchel. He saw the strap of the bag was cut off; the edge was seen cut in perfect snip, suggesting the person doing this most probably using a knife.

Despite the distress in him, Hanare sighed in relief, "Thank goodness everything is still here." She turned to him and told him everything; the moment she felt the bag was removed from her and when she saw a man running with her bag but when she arrived there, he had dumped it in a nearby trashcan.

"Did you saw the man's face? Or how is he look like?" She shook her head, "No, I didn't. But it's alright, though. Probably the man was desperate for some money-"

"It's not alright." He interjected her with a straight face, "What if he intended to do the same again? He's carrying a knife. We'd never know what is he going to do next. If I'm not here, he probably had lured you into his trap, you know that?"

She felt a light feathery of humor surfacing at the pit of her stomach. She can't tell him she had faced many other dangerous situations peeking on her such as these, but... let's not tell him that.

Slinging the uncut strap to her shoulder, she suggested, "That aside. Now let's get something to eat before I get back to my work."

"You still have some work left?"

"Of course! You know my work will never end! As long as there's a depressed or worn out person out there, I'll be there to cheer them up. That's what entertainers are for." There at the back of her other shoulder sit another vertical cotton bag.

Shamisen.

* * *

"Finally..." He tucked his hands into his pockets, "some time alone on the streets... Or maybe not so alone." After a two hours meeting with the other Kage unofficially and set up a few security phantom lines behind each Kage's shadow, they finally have some free time to wander around in the town.

The buildings around the town was undoubtedly strong and solid-looking as each of them was built from stones, the traits which carried in the name of the village itself, Iwagakure.

"Hang in there, Hemo-chan!"

"We'll get you down so just wait up there!" Voices of two kids exclaiming before him had caught his attention.

"What's wrong, you two?" Kakashi asked before the boy pointed his finger upward to the frightened cat clinging pitifully on the chimney of the house.

"Cat?"

5 seconds later

"Here." He handed them the black cat in his arms. The boy took it happily before replying, "Thank you, gramps! Bye!" And the kids left running to the other side of the road.

"G-gramps?"

* * *

"Hana nee-chan! We've got Hemo-chan back!" The boy, Kenta and Toshimi, and the chubby, two pony-tailed girl ran towards Hanare which at the moments was holding her shamisen in her laps.

"Eh? Where did you get him?" Her shamisen was forgotten for a moment as she patted Hemo-chan on the head, and later it purred in delight as she rubbed her fingers under its chin.

"We found him stucked on Tanabe's chimney house. Then a gramps helped us to take him down."

"A gramps?"

"Em! A white haired man with a mask. Come to think of it, Kenta, we've never seen him before, aren't we?" Toshimi commented before Kenta, the squinted-eyed boy added, "That's right. But if I'm not mistaken, I thought I first saw him at the arrival of the Kage this afternoon."

Meanwhile, Hanare was flicking her fingers skillfully on the strings, trying to memorise her new song entitled 'Welcome Home', where it was specially dedicated to the children she and Kira are taking care of back in their small house. It was still incomplete, so she'll keep it for now.

The usual audiences had started to crowd in front of her.

"All right, kids." She crouched down to the group of kids at the front line, "Nee-chan going to start the song for today so sit back together, okay? And this time, Naru, it's your turn to choose the final song." The boy's brown eyes widened as they met her honey-hued ones. A faint blush tainted his cheeks.

"Hahahaha! Naru is getting embarrassed again!"

"Nee-chan, yesterday Naru said when he grows up, he wants to marry you!"

"Shut up, Kenta!" Naru tried to defend himself but to no avail as his friends keep on picking on him, making his face as red as tomato. Watching this, Hanare ruffled his black hair amusedly, suggesting his favorite song before she began to welcome the audiences to her usual evening performance.

* * *

The shamisen's rhythm disrupted. Her fingers instantly forgetting its notes.

Their eyes met.

 _"...A white haired man with a mask..."_

 _"...If I'm not mistaken, I thought I first saw him at the arrival of the Kage this afternoon..."_

 _It's... Kakashi?_

A few meters away from her, he blinked his eyes in disbelief. He'd never thought the perfect harmony of the voice and the melody of the shamisen he heard earlier would be hers.

 _Hanare?_

Then he saw her quickly composing herself before she continued her sing, not to mention he saw her slightest turn of body from the direction of where he was standing.

Her reaction somehow made him chuckled.

He leant back against a tree, crossing his arms over his chest, and his eyes fluttered closed, savouring the moment where he can only hear the cheers of the audience, the bright melody of the shamisen, and most of all, the sweet voice of the singer singing the returning of her man from the battlefield unscathed.

 _You who were always walking a little in front me,  
Suddenly stopped and looked back,  
Our eyes met and you were smiling,  
In the future,  
Can I walk by your side?_

He didn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed like this; without having to face the piles of paperworks, hearing the endless nag of the Council demanding him to end his bachelor life, or the never end hunt of the Mizukage of his current status.

Then something clicked inside his head.

 _...that should do it._

When the show finally ended, cheers erupted from the audiences; from the kids at the front line, to the adults at the back, and even from the ninja guarding the Hokage from atop of the trees and from beyond the shadows. It took them about a few seconds before realizing the Hokage had vanished from their perimeter of sight, along with the shamisen's player who was still on the small stage few moments ago.

"Shit! We're too careless!" Yamato snapped from behind the shadow of one of the house, searching everywhere for the sight of the Hokage, but he was nowhere to be found, much to his dismay. "All units, find him as soon as possible then tie him or knock him out or do any way possible so he would stay put. Is that clear?"

"Right away!"

* * *

"What do you mean you lose it?!" The masked shinobi clad in Iwagakure's ANBU attire growled in his deep voice, violently pulled his subordinates collar to him with one, rough hand. All the spectators in the dark room quietly flinched under his roaring voice.

"I-I'm sorry, Sir. We believe he is still somewhere in the village. The time when he suddenly vanish from our perimeter is when he blend himself into the crowds during the arrival of the four Kage. We'll continue to look for him." The lower rank ANBU, trying to sounds stern despite the shivers that ran deep down his spine.

"You better look for him now. Do whatever means necessary to get back that scroll. I'll give you another twenty four hours before I claim the damn report. You hear me?"

"Yes, Sir!"

The room was empty in seconds, save for another two of his men. A growl slipped past his chapped lips as he looked again at the photo on the table under the dimly lit light; a picture of a woman petting a cat held by a kid, a musical instrument lied across her laps.

Then his eyes darted toward the satchel with the broken strap lying not far away from her.

He tapped his fingers impatiently across the photo, "If the scroll was really dumped into her bag, the thief might come later to retrieve it. Bring the satchel at once."

"What about the woman, Sir?" The man behind him added, "What if she had read the contain of the scr-"

"You're right." He interjected, finality was visible in his tone, "Take her along with the satchel. Any witness of the contain of the scroll shall be eliminated."

End of chapter three~


	5. Four

"Wha-what are you doing?!"

"Stay still." A hand circled around her waist, reflexively hauled her upward when she almost lose her footing, holding her close. A pair of raven orbs stared down at her struggling form where she was trying to fix the heels she wore on the thin wiring overlooking the Stone Village below, while both hand unconsciously grabbing tightly to his sides.

The unforeseen change of atmosphere had threw her off balance. And the sudden erratic beats of her heart didn't help much.

After he balanced themselves on the thin rope, he turned to look at her, only to meet honey-hued eyes overwrought with silent anger. "Just what do you think you're doing?" She kept her back uncomfortably straight, trying to get her own balance without relying on him, which he acknowledged with a small chuckle. He released the hand on her waist with sheer carefulness, knowing that a tiny little force exerted forward might send them tipping forward or the other way around.

Something had tugged both corners of his lips under the mask upward, "Let's see. Should I say... seeking for freedom?"

"Freedom?" She realized, then, that her shamisen was safe in his other hand, and the urge to just flee from the inconsiderate man died instantly. "I don't know what you're talking about. But do you really have to drag me into this?"

"Yup." He nodded without hesitation, "I need your help, Hanare. But first," His eyes directed straight over her shoulder, making her peek slightly to the direction, "Just make sure you don't drop your heels onto their heads, though." he said, directing to her heels that were slipping from her toes inch by agonizing inch, then back to the Hokage's guards hopping from one rooftop to another just below them.

Though still baffled with their current predicament, she followed his instruction nonetheless. Never before she thought holding back a heel from slipping away from her feet could be so torturous. Her teeth grinded. In seconds, the impossible footing and the need to balance herself was taking its toll on her.

Needless to say; she was failing miserably.

Then something inside her clicked. Why should her listen to him in the first place? Although he said he needed her help, but still, what kind of help he expected from a rogue ninja anyway? And the word triggered something within her, and she gasped, quietly, staring at him wide-eyed.

"You... are you intended to capture me?"

"Sorry?" It was too far-fetched that he couldn't help the sudden high octave of his voice, in consequence drawing one of the guard's attention, and within seconds all the guards dashed to their direction. On reflex, she pushed him away and snatched her shamisen from his hand, barely escaping the black-clothed ninja catching and cornering the falling Hokage. Upon landing on one of the roof, she immediately sprinted away from the place, jumping down to the alley to sink her presence amongst the crowd.

"Hokage-sama," Yamato said sternly, holding him still with his Mokuton Jutsu, "You gave your word you won't escape from our perimeter again."

 _Ah. There we go again._ Kakashi sighed as Yamato started his lecture, his eyes followed the direction she had disappeared.

"The hi-tea will start in another two hours," another Hokage guard spoke, reading the tentative for the day, "we should leave now for the preparation."

 _Oh great. Now how should I face the Mizukage?_

"...we have prepared a present for you to give to the Mizukage this evening. Please give your best for the hi-tea, Hokage-sama. I'd like to remind you this might be a great chance to create a bond between our village and the Water Country."

He had heard that countless of times from them and also from the Council. It made him wonder how they could be so concern with him to marry the Mizukage when they themselves had lived with the single status much longer than him. Talking about injustice. And speaking of bond, the village had shared great deal of business trading especially with Water Country, not to mention the trades were widened in numerous fields after the war ends.

So which part of creating bond did he missed here?

He had came up with a few excuses when Mizukage ask for a meeting in the past. And it seems impossible to evade it this time. And that's how he came up with the fabulous idea of disguising Hanare as his partner for the hi-tea.

"Tenzou," Kakashi finally spoke, his hands dug into his pockets, searching for something. His face then grew pale, "I think I've lost something. It was still here few minutes ago, though." The guards were all but watching the Hokage with their brows knitted but their senses remained keen nonetheless. Then, a fake gasp slipped pass his lips, "Did the woman before-"

With a curt nod, all of them had disappeared in search of Hanare except Yamato. Yamato, having known him for years, he couldn't help but feel he was up to something. "Hokage-sama, are you certain the woman is the one who stole it? What is it that you've lost?"

Kakashi leaned forward, placing his mouth near Yamato's ear and whispered. When he did, his eyes was seen twitching in vexation, and it could only become worse when he saw the Sixth Hokage grinning his flippant smirk.

He finally bursted, "Stop fooling around, would you? What do you mean you've lost your future?!"

* * *

Staring down at the hustle and bustle of the road from the window, the gentle breeze touched his gray hair softly. It is something he fond of, like a gentle finger lightly brushing his hair, and something as trivial as that had him wondered how silly he could be sometimes. But some part in him wanted so much to cling to that trivial thoughts, wanted it to stay, so the haunted memories of his past, of the tragic end of his dear friends could fade away, even for just a moment.

The war has ended.

But the war within him remained.

He heaved a heavy sigh and turned around, and caught the sight of a woman's heel sitting on the table, albeit without its other partner. Hanare had fled but left behind her shoes on one of the roof, and he recalled reading a foreign fairytale about a princess with the same predicament. What a strange story. And a strange coincidence.  
The sounds of struggles at the hallway behind the door caught his ears.

"Let me go, I tell you! I'm super scary when I'm mad I might chopped your hands off with my bare hands right this instance so you'd better put me down! Hey! My shamisen! Where are you taking it off to? You creepy ghoul-eyes! Give it back!"

"Hey, can't we just gag her with something? I think I'm going deaf."

"Haha. We're already here so there's no need for that."

Hanare, seeing that the ninja holding her by his shoulder was about to open the door, screamed.

"AHHHHHHH! HELP ME! SOMEBOD-mmphhh!" The ninja immediately clamped his hand over her mouth, panicking, but later snatched back his hand with a cry. Did she just bit me?!

"Hey, stay still, dammit!" She was flailing so much that about few seconds later they all toppled down onto the floor with a crash. Without a second to waste, she dashed off to other side of the hallway, running for her dear life as the previous ninja were chasing her right away, separating between them only a few wide steps but only grew wider as she ran with her top speed.

She threw a quick glance behind her, smirking.

"If anything I'm good at besides playing shamisen is running away. 9.93 seconds in 100 meter. Just a miliseconds late from Usain Bolt's 9.81. Think you can beat me-mmpphhh!" Unfortunately, just after she turned back to her front, her nose hit a wall of chest, sending her and the blocker crashed onto the floor under the massive speed she was in.

"Ouch..." Her nose hurt tremendously and she gently brushed them, before she realized she was on top of a body which pretty much looked like a man's built. Before she even get the chance to looked up, she was cornered by the ninja from both her back and front. But the most frightening part was when she saw the man under him groaned in pain, causing her to immediately scurried off of him, though still within the circle of the ninja.

Kakashi sit up, brushing the dizziness from the impact with a shake of head, unable to answer the inquiries from his guards.

"You alright?" Hanare asked despite herself, the previous fright of getting caught was forgotten, replaced by a new one as the unmistaken sound of dull crack as they fell resonated again inside her head. Did I just break him? He didn't react much then, and she naturally asked, holding out two fingers, "How much is this?"

The Hokage squinted his eyes, trying to guess.

"Urmm. Four?"

A series of horror gasps resonated at the hallway, making the perpetrator especially heavied with guilt as the guards helped him up and walked him back to his room. She stood there frozen in shock.

 _What have I done? I just injured the Hokage. Is he going to make it for the summit tomorrow? What do I do?_

Yamato, having watched all the scenes sighed heavily, knowing the Hokage and the rest of the guards just put up an act. Seeing the restless, bare-footed woman had once again made him sighed. The taking of her shamisen and her other shoes as the hostage planned by the Hokage himself just give him a more headache.

 _Boy, oh boy._

End of chapter four

AN: I'm back!


	6. Five

The hall was already occupied with people. Light but classy decorations was seen from over the place, giving the vibe that only people from certain status and ranks are invited to the hi-tea.

At the lounge, he glanced to the woman beside him, seeing her muttering something quietly under her breath, secretly taking a glance to the note on her palm, memorizing. Her dark green hair was done beautifully, he can tell that at the least, the intricate but loose braid at the back and the cascading long tresses to her waist. The pastel dress he had sent for her clad on her slender form. Just as he expected. Simple but elegant, fit her just perfect.

"Are you ready?" The Hokage asked, victory already sang in his voice for he finally able to find an ally to face the battlefield ahead of them. It will greatly helped him a lot if they manage to get through this. The Mizukage might give up on him, finally, and if it did happen, this surely call for a party, at least, in his own head, considering how the Council might yelled at him afterward.

She looked up to him, the amber eyes shone with determination, "I'm ready... Kakashi."

The way she spoke his name somehow had made his way into his head, making him chuckle. In return, much to her surprise, he linked her hand to his, looking ahead to the hall.

"Let's win this, Hanare."

Being so close to him like this, when she just saw him walking in the middle of the street at the arrival of the Kage, it almost feels like a dream. A happy dream.

"Let's."

Having said that, they walked into the hall, but the unmistakable stare of spying eyes, besides Kakashi's guard, few meters behind them had her more alert of her surroundings.

 _I have a bad feeling about this._

* * *

About an hour ago

Kakashi, after the incident, was brought back to his room, and he was already on the bed when she hesitantly, guiltily, showed up on the door of the room.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to show up in the hi-tea if you were hurt this much, Hokage-sama. Should I announce your absence?" One of the guard spoke, faking a seriousness on his face. Kakashi, groaning, trying to get up from the bed but immediately feigning an aching head and instantly collapsed back on the sheet.

He raised his arms weakly, "I...I can't do this. It's too much. Dear heaven... I'm coming."

"Hokage-sama! You can't do this! There are piles of paper works waiting for you at the office!"

"Thank you for the reminder, gentlemen. Now I want to die all the more."

"Yeah. Just die then." Far at the corner, Yamato sighed dejectedly. Come on now. No sane man would believe such dramatic play, would it? Unless he is on advance level of gullible that only special people had it.

"Kakashi, I'm sorry!" Hanare, much to his surprise, had went to her knees, hands clasped in apology. The room instantly fell silent.

Yamato blinked. _For real?_

"I'm sorry for bumping into you and caused you injuries. If there's something... anything I can do for your last wish, please tell me. I'll do anything you told me to."

In that instant, Kakashi get up from the sheet. "Anything?"

"Huh? Can you sit? I thought your head was injured-"

More than anything, he rolled to his feet, looking as healthy as ever, stretching his arms wide, "You know what. I just recovered. Now back to the topic. You'll do anything I tell you to?"

Though still confused, she blurted a yes.

"Good. Now everyone get out."

With that, the guards walked passed her to the door, a smile on their face, anticipating the bonus promised by the Hokage, except Yamato, standing at the corner of the room.

When the door finally closed, he stepped towards her, leaving only a step between them. His eyes unwavering. He was so close that she actually took a step behind, unable to look him in the face.

"Pretend to be my partner for the hi-tea. In return, I will grant you your wish."

"Pretend to be... your partner?"

He nodded, and began to tell about the Mizukage and his plan to avoid any possible partnership. Yamato then handed her papers consist of three pages, packed with words from top to bottom, containing all the details about their made up relationship, from the clothes she wear during their first meeting to the favorite hair gel he's been using.  
Surprised still overwhelmed her, "You mean, I need to memorize all this? Right now?"

"Precisely."

"Not exactly." Yamato and Kakashi answered in unison, which the former then glared at the latter, dagger in his eyes.

"Uhh.. Of course. I mean if you did memorize this we can do a synchronized ad-lib during the hi-tea."

"I said no ad-lib. Do you think this is some sort of performance? You both will memorize this or I will blender the pages into juice and force it down your throat. Is that clear?" Yamato snapped, quietly, seriously, that she actually saw the Hokage swallowed as he nodded, taking in his warning. She can't help herself but to smile, and she quickly lowered her head to hide them.

"As for you." Hanare flinched as he called for her. If he was that strict even to the Hokage, he must be much more stricter with her, her logic told her.

"You can do this, right?" Short and brief.

She immediately, impulsively, nodded, "I'll do my best."

"Good." For a moment, his face softened, a thin smile on his face, "I'm counting on you."

Kakashi, looking hurt, leveled him an unsatisfied look, "What's this? You don't believe in me? Why would you only say that to her? You don't want to count on me?"

Expressionlessly, Yamato replied, "I've always believed in you and your judgments in professional matters. You keep fooling around in every opportunity you had, but you make an excellent strategist, a perceptive ninja, a visionary leader whom we all believe will transform our village into something new." Yamato let the proud smile blooming under the mask, basking him in praises, then he resumed, whipping him lash after lash, "But in your private life however, you lack of calm, easily distracted by unnecessary elements, you'll buy few copies of the same volume of Icha-icha, stashing them in your lowest drawer in the office, and your sense of judgments seems to decimated into ashes. Shall I give some example?"

Kakashi curtly shook his head, "No thanks. You don't count on me, I get that."

Once again the lighthearted banter brightened the room, making her smiled, living in the moment, never realizing the pleasant look on the Hokage's eyes as he watched her.

She had tons of things she wanted to ask, but she just let out one. For now. "Uhm. But, may I ask you something?"

Kakashi nodded, "Go ahead. Ask away." For some reason, he looked so happy that his eyes squinted into gentle slits.

She can't help but feel a little relief, "To pretend to be your partner, as you said, why do you choose me? I mean, there are going to be all sorts of famous people there, right? The Mizukage, the Tsuchikage, and the other Kage, the top officers of the respective villages. All these sorts of people. And... for me to be there, I don't think it'll do good for you if I were to be your partner."

If they were to discover who she really is; a rogue ninja pretending to be a Hokage's partner, it would surely ruined his reputation later on. Not to mention that she did infiltrated the village, one of the village where rogue ninja are strictly prohibited. If she get caught, things would turn out really, _really_ bad.

"Hmm... I don't care." He sounded casual at first but later resolute, and her eyes fixed on him. Sure enough, she can tell that the Hokage knew what was in her head all along. "Just stick by my side and we'll get through this. Okay?"

She found herself unable to move her eyes away from him, not after Yamato cleared his throat, and she nodded right away, bashful. The guard then asked her to go to the next room which had been prepared for her with an assistant to do her makeup. She obeyed and left to the next room.

Upon turning the knob, she caught a glimpse of shadow rummaging her satchel on the table. Her breath caught. But the figure quickly disappeared out of the window when realizing the door was open.

"Stop right there!"

She ran to the window, searching for trace of the perpetrator, but he had long gone. Quickly, she went to her bag, looking through the inside, checking her wallet, only to find it was strangely untouched.  
 _It's not money he was after? Then what?_

Turning the satchel upside down, all her stuffs then fall onto the table, before lastly a small scroll hit the surface. She took it, examining the foreign object, wondering where did it came from.

 _"My satchel!"_

That morning, during the arrival of the Kage, she recalled her bag was snatched from someone in the crowd, only to find it dumped into a nearby trashcan, the content left untouched. Could it be that the man intentionally left it inside her bag? But the shadow that just came wasn't the same person, she sure of it.

What could be the content of the scroll that made the man in black came to redeem it? Could it be of national importance or some sort of prank pulled by certain individual? Should she open it or left it as it is? Her ninja instinct took over; she took the former. The scroll spread out on the table. Her heartbeat escalated, her eyes wide in shock.

 _During the summit tomorrow, there will be a revolt?_

Not only that, she just realized the room was in terrible mess; frames, sheets scattered on the floor, the closets and drawers left open. And at the corner of the room, there sit a musical instrument, smashed to pieces, the strings broken, pieces of its body scattered nearby it.

Her shamisen.

* * *

"Arghh!"

The ninja who just returned from the inn to retrieve the scroll cried in agony when the captain of Iwagakure ANBU twisted his wrist mercilessly, fire in his eyes.

"To take a single tiny puny scroll from a woman... Yet you failed?" With a single push, he was slammed against a wall, biting back a groan, trying to keep even a small shred of pride he has left.

"You disgust me. Three seconds. Or I'll pluck your eyes out." A flash of maniacality apparent in his eyes, lips twitched info a frightening smirk.

"One."

The ninja scampered to his feet, trying to escape the hell of the dungeon which had consumed more than hundred lives of men, each in its own torturous ways. Suddenly, the door slammed shut from the outside.

"Two." Death was creeping from behind. Even as he beg or weep, Gizenji marched forward, laughing hysterically a he does.

"Three."

The ninja outside the dungeon hit the bolt of the door home, locking it before their boss' animalistic urges consumed the other member as well. Strings of horrified screams trailed behind him as he left the place.

Dropping the spherical object into a jar, he then closed the cylinder container, placing it at the shelve with his other collections. He took a step back, admiring his precious collections, which later, he presumed, would be added with woman's.

"Such beautiful eyes. And smooth skin. I can't wait." Gizenji, with his thick fingers, caressed the face of the woman talking with the Hokage, an eerie smile crept to the chapped lips.

"Hanare of Jomiai Village. What a coincidence."

* * *

"How lovely! You've found yourself a woman, Hokage-sama!" Kurotsuchi, the granddaughter of the current Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, which rumored to succeed him as the Fourth Tsuchikage beamed at the couple. She then leaned to Kakashi, whispering.

"And here I thought you'll be with the Mizukage. I thought for sure you'll be accompanying her this evening. Unless... you bring this random woman with you to avoid her?"

Kakashi whirled to her, eyes wide. Her prediction was so true to the point that it almost scary. He tried to deny but his words melt into strings of slurred stutter. Women's intuitions sure are far more scarier than a leaked intel.

While on the other side...

"So tell me, Miss Hanare, where did you first meet him? How did you meet him and for how long did you known him?" The Mizukage held her long leg in the air, before settled them on her other leg, sitting so elegantly, eyes flaming with jealousy.

Hanare on the other hand, answering each one of them ever so calmly, "We met in one of the cafe in Suna a year ago. And I was a part-time worker on that time. We were together for about six months now."

Her eyes squinted, finding her story too plain, too hard to believe, and that she never heard of him having a woman close to him before. She pressed on.

"Then what do you do for living? When's his birthday? His favorite hair gel?"

She can't keep herself from smiling. That's why Yamato asked to memorize every bit of the script. He must have it rough.

"I'm a kindergarten teacher. His birthday is on September 15 and he don't usually wear one but if he do, it's Redken."

Mei went silent for a moment, still find it hard to believe this woman is his lover. So plain, a non-ninja, so unsexy, and so very normal. She didn't get it which part of her did he found charming.

"You had asked me all these questions. Then, allow me to ask you one." Hanare's eyes unwavering as she continued, "Do you like Kakashi?"

The Mizukage huffed, as if hearing the most ridiculous question ever, "I do and still am. I'll do everything I can to make him look at me and me alone. You'd better stay on guard, Miss Hanare."

In opposite to her subtle declaration of war, Hanare uttered, genuinely, a small smile on her lips, "That's a relief. I wish you best of luck then, Mizukage-sama." The female Kage however took it differently. She smirked, even then, no one looked as charming as her when she did that.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Kakashi, having returned from being interrogated by Kurotsuchi sat by Hanare's side, unconsciously wiping the sweat from his brows, mentally wiped out. Mei, seeing Kakashi before him, she fixed her sit, fingers twirling her hair, like a schoolgirl bumped into her crush.

"Uhm. Kakashi-kun, can we go over there for a moment? I kind of feel hot over here."

For a fleeting moment, there was a glint of uncertain in Kakashi, but Hanare was quick to interject. "Will you take me some of those buns over there? The red bean one if you please."

"C'mon, let's go, Kakashi-kun." She purred, before taking his hand impatiently, striding to the lines of foods at the side of the hall.

Like a scene straight out of painting, she thought, seeing two of them walked though awkwardly through the crowds. They both looked so great together; both of them are respectable leaders and they shared the same dream as Kage. If they were to be together, it will undoubtedly benefited to their both villages. Not to mention, the Mizukage is a real beauty too. And yet, why would he refuse to go out with her?

She sat there quietly watching him, as distance tearing them apart until she can see them no more. How very different the world she lives in compared to him. While he stands on the throne of prestige, she's still searching for her worth as ninja, as well as her purpose now that she has no village to serve. As the thought strike her, she brushed her hair, smiling, a smile so desolate as if she could disappear within a blink of an eye.

Sensing something isn't right, he looked back, searching, looking, until he saw her seat now was empty. Even amongst the men and women chatting around, or in the group of the politicians and businessmen exchanging cards, or within the circle of intimate conversation between couples, she wasn't among them.

 _...Hanare?_

End of chapter 5


	7. Six - Masamune

AN: Starting this chapter henceforth, the plot will thickened considerably and another major character will come up. If you read the past chapters very carefully, you'll know who it is. Yes, it's Hattori ;)

As I write the chapter, I've portrayed him (more or less) as Shokudaikiri Mitsutada in anime Touken Ranbu. I haven't watched the anime yet but I found the character quite suited as Hattori. Well, I need someone who could matched to Kakashi you see :)

Lastly, please support the story so we'll get to see the finish line together. Enjoy!

* * *

"Strange. It's still in the middle of autumn but," the man held out his hand to the air, a pure flurry of snow landed on his hand, "Is it snowing already?"

The people around him turned to looked upward to the sky. More and more snow falling upon them, blending together with the fluttering red leaves. Two distinct season that shouldn't cross one another, now as if bringing bad omen to the village. Murmurs of panics filled the street.

"Have you heard? The neighboring village had had this strange occurrence too about a few months ago." A townsman spoke in high voice, drawing their attentions. "It was still in the middle of summer, but in a particular area if the village, some trees already withering out, cold wind blowing, and temperature dropped for a few hours."

"Is that for real? Has the heaven gone mad?"

"What's going to happen to us?"

"Could it be that _they_ are here? You know, the group of ninja that called themselves as Masamune?"

"Hush, you! Don't speak of them so loud! While the rumor said they work for the Ninja Allied Forces, some said they would kill just anyone to satisfy the thirst of the cursed Masamune sword!"

On the other side of the road, Hattori was staring off at his front, burden of metals on one shoulders, his eyes incomprehensible. The redness and the soot on his tanned face, and the calloused hands forging weapons all day had marked him as one of the blacksmith in the village. The people around him continued to exchange about the change of climate as he dipped his hand into his pocket, feeling the bracelet he just fixed few days ago for a certain shamisen player, but never find the proper time to return it back.

As it happens, she was taken away by a certain masked man that could very much be the one he _will_ be working for, and she still didn't show up even after the sun was set. An unknown spark ignited within him, his eyes set firmly, lips quirked on one end. In a flash of a second, his eyes took into a red flare of crimson, imitating the glowing legendary sword hidden beneath his clothes.

The snow was getting heavier.

* * *

Kakashi awoke on top of his bed. Panting. Sweating. Taking in the ceiling and the room around him, he exhaled, bringing a hand to his eyes. Last night, he ended up in a liquor race with the Raikage after the hi-tea. The burly man, like fury that he was, had dragged him and Gaara to a nearby restaurant but the younger Kage somehow had slipped himself off the old folks and returned to his quarters. He remembered though vaguely that Yamato had brought him back to his bed, berating him for his lack of conscience for being drunk despite having a summit tomorrow.

Well, though it's hard for him to admit, that one he can't helped it.

He sat on the bed, feeling fully awake by his dream... a dream of the impossible.

There on top of a hill lied a piles of dead bodies, pools of blood gathered at the ground. And she was there on the higher ground, staring at the village below which he fathomed as the Leaf Village. A pair of short blade dripping with blood by her side, a cape drape around her shoulder fluttered by the wind. And then there was this beauty mark under one eye.

He shook his head, chuckling faintly, taking that the liquor had spoke the dream. Or probably that her disappearance during the hi-tea _did_ bothered him. After he washed himself to clear his head, he went out to the next room, with the thought that Hanare must have returned to her room from wherever she had gone to during hi-tea. The night was chill outside, snows blanketing the darkness. He remembered joking around with Raikage about the rumored group of bounty hunter, of how they made up of few people but didn't know one another.

Making sure the hallway is empty, he placed his ear against the door, before pulled back, a frown settled on his face. He entered the room, which was surprisingly unlocked and saw the room was just as neat as if no one has been there all along. Near the bedpost, he saw a thread-like object, then realizing it was a string that belongs to some sort of musical instrument.

It couldn't be...

Suspicion crept to him, and then he recalled her returning to his room not long after she left to change dress before the hi-tea, looking calm yet urgent, so cleverly kept her panic behind the trained deceptive mask.

 _"You said you will grant me anything, right?"_

* * *

"So, Hokage, you mean to say that Iwa has been keeping children of war at its border?" The Tsuchikage queried with a low, threatening voice. Kurotsuchi, being a guard for her grandfather spoke in protest, "How dare you sneaked around the border without permission? This is a violation of rules against our village!" The summit was progressing effectively, with countless of shinobi guarding the tower. Though somehow now it had turned to a quite tense atmosphere.

Tsuchikage held a hand to her, "Calm down, Kurotsuchi. Hokage, may I ask you by which source you acquired this information?"

"What did they called again, Kakashi? Masamune?" Raikage produced a smug grin, seemingly amused by the discussion.

"I believe it's not the issue at the moment." Kakashi voiced collectedly, keeping the knowledge that Hanare was the one who talked to him about the matter, "These children of wars are vulnerable to every kind of dangers. While it's true I had sent my men to look into the matter, and I deeply apologize, I believe it's not only at the border of Iwa. After the death of their guardian, they have lost the source of their protection. As soon as possible, we need to take proper order and take them into our society."

All of a sudden, the lights went out, rending the room with gasps before a sharp whiz of a knife cut through the air and landed on the round table with a great thud. The paper bomb attached to it exploded, sending them sprawled backward, guards shielding their respective Kage before soon the smoke fades out, revealing a tall object which they soon realized it was another ticker massive bomb by taking the movements around it. They were trapped.

Another series of explosions boomed across the tower, throwing them into a state of panic and confusions. The securities were tight, as they were informed. Then what in the world is happening?

Then, chill crept into the room, their breath turned visible by the cold air, before the ticker halted, slashed into clean cut. The temperature continued to drop, mimicking the falling snow outside, and Hattori, standing in the middle room, scanned the faces of the Kage. Then, the tip of his sword directed to the perplexed Tsuchikage.

"Hey, old man. Better clean those guard dog of yours before they return to bite off your ass next time. I won't save your ass twice, you hear me?"

"What did you just said?" Kurotsuchi threw boulders to his direction, insulted, but he easily dodged it. When she about to weave the next jutsu, an injured Iwa ninja came rushing in, stopping her attack.

"Kurotsuchi-sama! He's not an enemy! He had stopped the revolt outside! The ANBU ninja had turned against us!"

Another explosion shook the floor.

Their eyes widened. "A revolt?! There was a revolt outside?!"

Hattori fixed the eye patch covering one eye, and sheathing the sword back to its scabbard, hiding the faint glowing lust of blood it still displaying.

"I'm done here. Please proceed to your discussions. Though I must say, the Hokage's right. These children of war need to be saved or else they'll become like these ticking bombs planted throughout this tower... waiting to explode."

* * *

Hanare took flight into the forest, and purposely halted when reached a cliff, turning back to look the head of the ANBU leader had followed her up to the cliff, leaving his defeated men at the tower of the summit took place.

She took out a scroll containing the secret information about the corruption of Iwa in the past and unceremoniously threw it on the ground in front of him.

The captain of the ANBU took the scroll with a grin. "Well done, Hanare of Jomiai Village. It doesn't matter if I lose now as long as I have this document. Being a ninja rejected by his own village sure have it own perks, huh? You sure you don't want to join me?"

During the hi-tea, she was captured by the Iwa ANBU as the scroll telling their plan of revolt just now was found in her satchel. Knowing her own identity as a rogue ninja, they let her decide whether to help them out and they'll let her go for trespassing the village or if she refuse, the children she was taking care of at the border would pay for it.

Face still half hidden by the cape, she held out a hand, and a flurry of snow touched her skin. She whispered, as though speaking to the snow, "Thank you."

"Hahaha! What was that? You decided to join me then?"

She looked into his face, before a look of disgust visibly conveyed on her profile. "How unfortunate of you. To have a village to serve but you betrayed them so easily. You of all people make me sick."

She brandished a twin blades, a glowing red along the metal made him realized something before he raised one brow, amused.

"Interesting. So you're one of Masamune, huh? Never thought I could face one head-on." He took on a fighting stance, hand calling out in challenging gesture, "Come on, sweetheart. Show me what you got."

End of chapter 6


	8. Seven

There was a crowd in front of the notice board, the news about the revolt last night had caused an uproar in the village. Hattori, due to his tall figure, stood several feet away from the board, his brows marred with confusion as he read the headline.

The Silent Revolt During Summit Yesterday Was Silenced By... The Masamune?! Iwa's ANBU Leader Found Hanging By The Cliff.

It was one of the rule he needed to abide by as one of the Masamune; to conceal his identity. But the fact that the leader of the revolt was hilariously left hanging in a net on a cliff wasn't one of his doing. Yet a surge of excitement went through him. Just who was responsible for it? Another Masamune?

Just then, a man came near him, apparently drawing in by the crowd.

"Good job last night, Masamune." The quiet whisper to him had him startled, and he looked to the man next to him. Kakashi.

To be honest, he had been wanting to meet the Hokage personally since yesterday but cleaning the revolt mess all night had kept him busy. Though, it does surprised him that Kakashi himself would approached him. Partly disbelief and disinterested, he huffed, "I don't need your acknowledgment. I just do what I need to."

The formal greeting face on Kakashi's face then disappeared, replaced by his usual bored gaze, "In that case, can I ask you a favor? Can you do something about this snow? It's troublesome."

He whirled to his direction, raising a brow, "What? Got problem with that?"

Kakashi shrugged, almost casually, hiding his freezing hands into his pockets. "Well, I left my favorite coat in my house, that's why. And the weather forecast station will be doomed if you keep ruining the actual weather, don't you think so?"

Hattori rolled his eyes, "Let me get this straight, Hokage. Where did you took Hanare to yesterday? Where is she now?"

Hearing her name, he heaved a sigh, clearly missing the hint of jealousy in Hattori's voice. One hand on his chin, thinking. "I don't know. She disappeared in the middle of the hi-tea and didn't showed up until now. Could it be that she involved in the revolt?"

Hattori's snickered, "Like hell she would. She's the least expected person in the whole village to even know such case happened. She does various works around the village but I know her well. And you don't."

Kakashi chuckled on the childish retort. "Such confidence you have. Yeah, right. She might as well walking around freely on the other side of the road as we speak."

On the other side of the road. Literally.

Hanare handed the ice cream cone to the boy and gave him the exchange. Watching the boy go, she straightened and fixed her cap, hiding her face. Her hair held up in a bun, hidden beneath the red cap, making her look more like a teen boy than a woman.

"Ice cream! Strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, mint, we have it all!"

"Give me strawberry one please."

"Strawberry ice cream coming right up." Scooping a spoonful and another onto the cone, she handed it over to her customer, which she found out was an equal height to her. A woman clad in blue with sexy curves and gorgeous hair was looking around the street, a flirty smile on her face, attracting the males on the street. She suddenly couldn't tear her eyes away from her, looking at her up and down. _Why does she looked familiar?_

Then it hit her.

 _The Mizukage?_ She quickly looked away from her. _What is she doing here? Out of all places to be in the village, on this very street, buying ice cream? What do I do?_

Mei turned to her seller, "How much?" Hanare cleared her throat, making her voice sound a little bit different, "200 yen, ma'am." Mei gave her the exact money and she bowed quickly, relieved and turned around, before her voice calling her out made her froze.

The Mizukage approached her, step by languid step, as though deliberately, before a voice teasingly, provokingly touched her ears.

"It's you all right. I've been searching for you all day, Miss..."

Hanare, realizing how stupid she was that she could trick a Kage, turned around and met her eyes with the Mizukage's. "Hanare. The name's Hanare."

"Hanare." Mei uttered the name once, then again, as though carving it into her head for future reference. "So Miss Hanare. What do you do for living?" Her eyes moved down from the cap with the cow logo to her plain uniform down to her shoes. "Don't tell me, your being a kindergarten teacher is a fraud?"

Kakashi must be the one who told her, she thought, as that was what they had agreed upon and memorized in the script. She straightened her shoulders, trying to look confident, "That's true. But the school is closed today. Revolt or whatever just happened yesterday, right? Though several part time work won't stop operating even if there is a war. People need to eat no matter what."

Seeming to believe to her words, Mei nodded. "Though I have my own men looking into your background saying you are a ninja," Hanare's breath stopped, but the Mizukage continued with a feigned dumb look, "and a rogue ninja at that, I will let it pass. I'm more interested to know how Kakashi would entrust you with such role. Did you begged for it? How much did he paid you? Ah. You don't look very special either. Kakashi must have ran out of option I guess."

Hanare chuckled bitterly, scooping chocolate ice cream for her next customer. After the boy is gone, she turned to her, properly. "You're right. Kakashi must be _so_ desperate he had to chose me who doesn't look very special just to avoid you in the hi-tea. How unfortunate. You must not be his type then, Mizukage-sama. If you'll excuse me, I need to get to work."

"Hey! Stop right there!" She ignored her cry and continued to walk away, but the sudden imbalance of the box behind her made her turned around, causing the upturn of the box, spilling its contents onto the ground. Few feets away, Mei hid her hand with a string of chakra that just cut the strap of the box behind her, smiling triumphantly, secretly sticking out her tongue for good measure.

People started to looked to their directions, whispering sympathetic words to the ice cream 'boy'. The staring contest lasted for a few seconds before Hanare first to break it and bend down to collect of what may left of the ice cream.

"What's this? You make me look like a bad woman." Surprisingly, the Mizukage joined her on the ground, speaking in such tone that make her longed to splat some chocolate flat on her face. Instead, Hanare began to laugh, quietly, her shoulders shaking with the effort to hold it in, followed by her rival's; a laugh that sounded so eerie that the people actually walked away from the scene to avoid any unnecessary incidents.

"Hey. Wanna spar?"

* * *

"Care to tell me how did I end up walking with you again?" Hattori kicked every pebbles that came to his way, giving an exasperated look to the Hokage tailing behind him.

Kakashi continued to look around the street, looking strangely lighthearted, "Ain't it lonely to walk by yourself? I will accompany you."

"You mean like, _you're_ in need of company. Well, whatever. I don't care anymore." While looking around, a rather feminine emerald bracelet on Hattori's wrist caught his eyes.

"You have a unique taste, I see. That bracelet."

Led by Kakashi's gesture, Hattori held up his hand, and smiled, fondly, as though seeing the girl he wanted to give it to in front of him, totally oblivious to the Hokage's horrored profile seeing him smile for the first time. "This belongs to someone important to me. I'm wearing it so I won't forget to give her when I see her next time."

He nodded in curt response, "Well, I wish you luck then. Hmm? What's that crowd?" They came to a stop as numbers of people crowded the door and the windows of a restaurant, seemingly watching a fight unfolding inside. Cries of support had drew even more people into the restaurant, including them.

"Is there a fight in there?"

"Probably. There must be the same thugs refusing to pay and now they're paying with bruises and cracked bones by the bodyguards. Hey, where are you going?"

Inside the restaurant

Their teeth clenched, sweat dampened their brows as they exerted their utmost strength in the arm wrestling. The cheers has been going on for ten minutes since they first started, and needless to say it's started to take its toll on them.

"Besides Kakashi, I love getting new rival to fight with. You're stronger than you look. I'm glad this doesn't end so soon, though. But, I'm going to end this right here right now." Mei said between clenched teeth, flashing a fiery eyes to her rival, Hanare, who was doing just the same. She managed an equally heated reply, "Well go ahead then. But even if you win a thousand times, know that I won't let you go unless you pay for the broken box and the ice cream. I definitely can't tolerate someone who bothered my daily pay."

The tower of sparring hands started to tilt against Hanare's side, and Mei's eyes already narrowed in triumph, "Well if only you defeat me. But I won't let you. Not in arm wrestling. And definitely not in love matter."

It only takes a few seconds for her to lose her strength and leaving her fist shaking with effort to stay detach against the table. Needless to say, her fight with the leader of the revolt last night had made her whole body more exhausted than ever. When there was only an inch between her hand and the table, a familiar voice called out from behind her.

"Mizukage?"

"Kakashi!"

Thud! The Mizukage took her moment of surprise and easily earned her already foreseen victory. Cheers erupted from the audiences who were majorly placed their bet on the Mizukage. She was left aghast at the table as Mei flew from the chair to Kakashi, naturally attaching herself to the seemingly reluctant Hokage. Despite everything, she realized she was in a really awkward situation. Being defeated is one thing. Leaving the hi-tea uninformed is another thing entirely.

Now it makes meeting Kakashi even more undesirable.

"Kakashi-kyun! Did you come to see me?"

"Uhh," He scratched his head, and his eyes wrinkled in faint smile, "No, not really. What are you doing here, Mizukage?" His voice declined into a whisper, aware of the watching eyes of the villagers, "And it would greatly pleased me if you stop calling me that."

"You mean, I can call you that when we're in private? You naughty man."

"Uhh, that's not what I really meant though."  
Hattori, following behind the Hokage narrowed his eyes to the woman wearing the cow cap, scrutinizing.

"Wait. Is that you, Hana-"

Before he was able to confirm his guess, she dashed out of the room towards the kitchen and disappeared behind the back door.

* * *

The snow has started to clear up. It was 2 in the morning, and moon has its way on the midnight sky, peeking shyly behind the clouds, lending some of its light into her room.

Hanare, screwdriver in one hand while the other pulled the thick cord into its lane, had pulled the same process over and over again but to no avail; the cord snapped, adding another cuts on her fingers. Her shamisen was far beyond fixing this time, she thought.

Distressed, she threw the tool on the table and leaned back, straining her neck until she faced the ceiling, unconcern for the blinding light of the lamp. Her eyes closed, letting herself to relax for the first time of the day. However, even her body screamed for rest, her mind didn't let her, disturbing her with events of the day.

 _I met him today. But I ran._

She sighed. Hating herself.

 _I should've apologized._

Sitting upright, she reached for the saké at the edge of the table, tearing open the cap and gulped down in one shot until it was half empty. It's not enough, she thought, but nonetheless put the bottle down, and, almost naturally, rhythm of an unfinished melody played insided her head. Her fingers instinctively played the music in empty air, flicking here and there nimbly, imagining the sound on her now wrecked shamisen.

A pleasant hum filled the room, battling with the tick of clock, and the loose hinge of the door creaking, or the whiz of an arrow cutting through the air; one of the trap she set in her front room to keep out any intruder, which all of it eventually made a peaceful rhythm with the soft thrum of her sing. Her eyes closed, cheeks lightly tinted pink as the effect of the sake started to take over, making her oblivious to her surrounding, a picture of a composer drowning in her own world trying to compose a song.

When she found no suitable word to fit into her sing minutes later, she frowned, her hum stopped, and instead uttered a few 'deng-deng' to fill in the blanks.

"What's with the deng?"

Without turning back to greet the voice, she uttered, "Ah, Kira you're back? Welcome home." The silhouette behind her nearly jumped when she suddenly raised from her chair unnoticed, back straightened.

For a moment, she stilled, head slightly lulled back and forth like she just get off of a roller coaster, before a sharp click of thought hit her; she rolled her sleeves, tying a headband on her forehead, pushing everything aside from the table except for the broken shamisen. A look of unusual focus on her face, assessing the damage.

A sigh broke from behind her, "I knew it. Someone broke your shamisen." And took a place beside her. Kakashi, after having a look at the scattered body and the snapped cord, he said, "So, what are you going to do about this?"

And what he got as reply was unexpected. Hanare lifted her face to his, a look of what he discerned as boredom in her eyes, "You're here again? Don't you have anything else to do?"

"Me?" Kakashi seemed clueless, scratching his head, "I've never been here before though. Though I must say you have a pretty awesome security back there." He said, amazed, while trying his best to hide his torn sleeve when an arrow almost got him.

Hanare, seemingly unlike herself, close the distance between them, so close he can feel her warmth, "Whatever you say. You, my delusional Kakashi," she reached up, fixing his collar nonchalantly, "stay by that corner and wait for big sis to finish up, okay?" He was beyond shocked when she finished with a light slap on his ass before she returned her focus to her shamisen.

Still rendered speechless, his hand followed where Hanare's hand had been on his back, his foot unconsciously dragged himself to the said corner.

"On second thought, you come back here. Hold this for me." Helpless, he returned to her side, holding some cheap plywood as she cut it with sheer strength. It wasn't smooth at all, he thought and offered to cut it instead but she refused him, looking amused and incredulous.

"Don't be silly. You can't do this sort of thing."

"Yeah, you drunk alright." He concluded from her unusual behaviors, added by the shade of pink on both her cheeks, and the half empty saké on the table.

"This is dangerous." He plucked the tool from her hand, "You can't operate sharp tools while you're drunk. Let me do this."

"Oh? You can hold that thing now? Cool!"

 _Now?_ He recalled the first thing she said when he was here. Exactly the same thing. Did she... had delusions before?

That thought alone had his face changed, so he sat her on the chair, "Listen, Hanare. Your shamisen won't get to what it is now if I didn't invite you to the inn. I'm responsible for what happened so let me do this." When she about to retort, he cut in, "I'm not giving you a choice. Stay there and just watch me do this, okay?"

Hanare rest her chin on the back of the chair, watching him, her hazy eyes getting distant, "Why does it feel too real?"

"What is?" Kakashi said from under the cabinet supporting the cutting process, trying to balance the old set of woods.

"Your left eye is different, your outfit has changed...and the air around you is no longer the same. You're a completely different person now, in a much more higher place. I'm sooo jealous." For a flash of second, there was a glimpse of loneliness in her voice before she returned into her drunken state, and he didn't missed that.

"Tell me. Being a Hokage, how does it feel? Are you happy?"

"Hmm." He took a moment to get his words, for no one ever asked him before. "I don't really have much prerogative in the matter. People of my village appointed me, putting their trust on me, so. I just do what I need to." To his surprised, his answer coming out curt. People had high expectation of him so what else should he do? He had no choice but to do his utmost, for both the village and for the shinobi alliance. Swallowing the strange bitterness in his throat, he moved to the other side, just beside her to cut the other end.

A hand then flopped on his hair, moving in a jumble mess of pattern, front and back, which he later fathomed as pat. He looked up.

"Good job there. Good job." Her words coming out slurred, but there was no mistaking the acceptance and the comfort threaded in each words, making him smiled. Also, the green bracelet hanging on her wrist seemed so familiar he was staring at it, before the realizations struck. It was the very same bracelet Hattori wore.

His smile died down.

 _I see._

It was late in the morning that she woke up on the floor with a blanket around her. The shamisen, on the table, was polished into perfection, all shiny and definitely looked like brand new. As she get up from her bedding, confused and washed with hangover, she pressed her hands to her temples, in time with the drop of emerald pearls from her bracelet. The band holding together the pearls has been cut.

"Oh no! What do I do? Hattori finally had it repaired but now it broken again?" Gathering the scattering pearls, she then took the detached band, examining the area it was snapped. The bracelet, the first heirloom she received from her parents as well as the shamisen.

White fumes seemed to form around her. It was clear as day that the band was deliberately cut.

"Whoever done this, I'm going to kill him."

Meanwhile, at the route back to Konoha.

Sneeze!

"Sneaking out at two in the morning and returned at 7 definitely get you with cold." Yamato commented matter-of-factly, knowing where he had gone all night.

"No, it's not cold." Kakashi retorted, "I'm just getting more famous, don't you think? Well, it's not easy being Hokage. Everyone can't seem to get enough of me so what else can they do? They talk about me. Like just now."

"Yeah right."

"I've done the right thing. Now _it_ can rest in peace." Kakashi said, feeling agreeable with himself with his act last night, as well as the little crime he had committed; snip cut Hanare's bracelet.

"I hope so, Hokage-sama. I hope so."

End of Aria #7

AN: And there you go! Finally another chappy! I can't let this story go to be honest. It's far too precious to ignore the possible story of these two. That's why you guys still here right? *wink*

Stay tuned for the next chapter where I expect it to be more elaborate one than the first six chapter. Comments and heart everyone!

~toshimi-senpai


	9. Eight - Pieces Of Royalty

Important note: I have made a few editing in the past chapters though the plot is still the same except for chapter one (Zero) Kindly check it out and it'll only take three minutes of your reading time. Thank you :)

* * *

In the special nursery in Iwa, the newly transferred kids that were reported living in the forest are currently undergoing a medical checkup. A nurse is seen comforting a child after getting a shot. In another section, a doctor is examining a child's mental healthness.

"So how was your life living in the house in the forest?"

It wasn't a first question, rather a repeated one. Momiji, the boy with dark hair shook his head innocently. "I don't know."

"How about your mother? And your father?" The doctor leaned close to the boy to steal his attention from the toy in his hands, and somehow the boy stared back at him, before Momiji, the boy plucked the glasses from his nose.

"My glasses! Give it back to Doctor, Momiji. Yes... What a good boy you are..." Just when the boy about to give it back to him, he ran off with the glasses, giggling happily.

"Someone! Nurse! Help me!" There was a hectic scene in the scenery as the Doctor and the nurses trying to chase Momiji, whom now had a few other boys joining him in his alliance. After moments of struggle. he finally retrieved his glasses when the nurses presented them a new toy. Some kind of music instrument like a guitar designed for kids.

The doctor sighed and leaned back against his chair, jotting down something in the paper. Apparently, the children really didn't know anything about their past life. And he was positive the children weren't feigning it.

"There's something wrong with the children." The doctor said to a reporting ninja of Iwa as he handed the report.

"What is it? They're sick?"

He fixed the now slightly misaligned specs on his nose, "I'm afraid it's quite the opposite. Apparently they're all in good health and energetic as it should a child. I believe they were in good hands before this."

"So what's the problem?" The ninja asked, handing back the report with a slightly confused look.

The doctor surveyed his surroundings before leaned in to whisper. "If such thing is possible, I think they didn't have any memories about their past life in the forest nor the people who took care of them."

While in the far off distance, Hanare was taking a good look of the playing children through the open door. She watched in relief as the children's attention now were on the small shamisen she secretly sent earlier. Just as she took a step back into the darkness she came from, now another cry erupted from the nursery as Momiji, yet again, took a used syringe from the tray and obliviously pointed it to his palm. She almost ran into the scene but a guarding ninja suddenly appeared in a gust of wind and easily snatched the tool from his hand. And now, the boy's full attention darted to the ninja, his eyes wide and amazed, asking all sorts of questions with starry eyes.

Hanare let out a sigh, a hand on her chest. _You almost got me even in this distance, Momiji..._ She always remembered him stealing her shamisen early in the morning just before she go to work in the town. _Such a naughty but a sweet boy this one..._ because he'd always let the other younger children ate first before himself.

They are now saved from the haunted memories of war and their once lived in the woods with her, for she had erased them so they may start anew. All thanks to Kakashi demanded there are war victims living somewhere in the forest during the Kage Summit, conforming to her request.

"I'll come visit sometime soon, children."

She then took out a cap with the cow logo and flopped it on top of her head.

Got to work.

* * *

Two weeks later | Konohagakure

In the Hokage tower, it was way passed midnight when the Hokage office's lamp finally lights out. Kakashi was seen walked down the hall with heavy steps, his shoulders slightly slumped in exhaustion.

Shizune, who has been hiding for hours after the office hour watched the Hokage's defeated form. On her side, Yamato simply observed him with fathom look.

"What's wrong with the Hokage recently, I wonder?" Shizune said, clearly have no idea of his odd behavior recently; he simply won't come out during lunch hour, and he hardly got to spare his time for his salacious reading material. Hell, she can't even see his face amongst those mountains of paperwork on his desk which seemed gradually piling up each day. Ah. And that very, _very_ strange habit as of late.

"He's been acting like that these days." She said.

Yamato sighed. "That's because he's being lonely from being bullied by the Council." As Kakashi walked, they noticed that he will touch the wall with his fingers. "Since he has no one to talk to, he touched the wall for interaction."

Shizune nodded, desolately. "Is that because of the failed meeting with the Mizukage in Iwagakure?" Yamato nodded.

"The Council really have no mercy this time, I see."

"Precisely."

"But why would the Hokage refused to be with the Mizukage? I don't see any flaws on her, to be honest." Shizune commented, hands on her chin. Just then, two figures melted from the darkness and joined their observation.

"Maybe she's not her type?" Naruto said, tilting his head.

"Maybe he's impotent?" Next to him, Sai said matter-of-factly.

"Impotent, huh?" Naruto looked deep in thought, trying to figure out the meaning before he whirled back to Sai with a mixture of horror and painful look, "Y-you mean... as in... he can't do... what a man can do?"

"No. What I said is that it could be. You see, I've been reading this book titled The Lover's Guide," He said, innocently taking out the book from his bag, "and it said a man who had no desire towards woman might be impotent."

"Oh nooo! Is there any cure for it? We need to do something!" Naruto pulled on his hair, clearly distressed by his teacher's likelihood of disability to be a true man.

"Oh, brother. Just go home already, children." Yamato shooed them, but not before he took a brief look of the controversial book that contained all the information needed regarding the bedroom department, making Shizune sighed in dejection. All these discussions only make watching the Hokage walking alone in the hallway all the more sadder.

"Poor, Hokage."

* * *

After closing the door behind him, he flopped onto the couch, finally feeling relax after a whole taxing day. Kakashi lied on his back, bringing a hand onto his forehead and forced his eyes to rest, but somehow he couldn't. His mind is still too active to get a rest. His eyes wandered on the ceiling, then to the frame on the wall, before a tall bag just beside a drawer drew his attention.

It was the smashed pieces of woods from Hanare's shamisen.

On the night when he visited her place in Iwa, he took it upon himself to repair the broken instrument although, to be honest, he didn't have much experience in craftsmanship. So he secretly bought a new one and make it as if he had fixed it. But he wasn't that irresponsible to leave things as it is so to make it up, he took the smashed pieces back to Konoha and he planned to ask the famous craftsman here in Konoha to fix it as close as possible to her former shamisen.

 _I'll bring it to my office tomorrow._

His mind wandered to the memory of that night. He'd always thought Hanare as modest and observant, seeing that was her nature as an espionage ninja.

"Wait a minute." He sat up on the couch, recalling another occurrences on the said night, "Does that mean she become the playful, naughty type whenever she's drunk?" He recalled she playfully slapped him on the ass, and the coquettish way she leaned close to him that night.

For some reason, his body became hot. He loosened his collar and fanned himself a bit. "Why's the room so hot?"

Wanting to cool himself down, he then went to his feet, walking towards the bag and unzip it. Pieces of woods scattered on the desk as he took it all out. However, a particular shiny piece drew his eyes and he retrieved it. There, a symbol of gold chrysanthemum insignia carved into the piece.

A crest of the imperial family.

 _It can't be..._

* * *

Iwagakure

"Want some?" Kira offered to pour Hanare sake, but she refused with bitter smile.

"I had bad experience with sake, so no, thank you." She said, taking a sip of her juice, clearly aware of Hattori's watchful eyes on her but she pretended to not notice it. On the morning she woke up and found her a brand new shamisen in the room, she immediately aware that someone was with her on that night but her memory was all fuzzy and blurred. A day after, she finally realized the one who came to her house on that night was Kakashi. Considering that she had tried her utmost to avoid meeting him but he did met her that night, positively drunk, brought her to endless shame. For the umpteenth time, she sighed.

"Aww really? Since when?" Asked Kira. "Two weeks ago." Hanare answered, and placed another order in hope to end the conversation but she persisted. Kira, now a bit drunk slapped her ass, "C'mon, Hanare. You're not fun at all, y'know."

Hanare was caught off guard. That gesture, ass slap, definitely ring a bell inside her head.

 _You, my delusional Kakashi," she reached up, fixing his collar nonchalantly, "stay by that corner and wait for big sis to finish up, okay?"_

 _Did I... did I do that to him after that?_ Deeply embarrassed, she covered her face with both hands.

"Someone please just kill me now..." she murmured.

"You okay, Hanare?" Hattori said, he sounded worry as he said so. Hanare took a deep breath and smiled though faintly. "I'm fine. Want some?" She offered him a plate of snacks, but he didn't take it right away. His penetrating gaze somehow made her uneasy as though he tried to read her mind. When she was about to pull back, Hattori immediately took it and smiled back.

"Thanks."

She nodded.

Things have become awkward between them, and she knew he realized it too. Before, she could eat together with him, just the two of them but now she needed Kira to enlighten the atmosphere.

"Hmm? What's with the ninja outside?" Kira said, pointing to the outside of the restaurant; several ninja were wandering outside, sticking posters on walls while knocking on doors in search of someone. Just then, a ninja came inside their restaurant and gave the poster to the restaurant's owner. Hanare's eyes squinted to look at the far off poster.

"Wasn't that you, Hanare?" Kira said, her words slurry at best but both Hanare and Hattori instantly tried to peek on the poster. The ninja turned around after sticking it on the wall of the counter, to check on every customers in the place. And that was when they saw the bold font and a picture in the poster.

WANTED | HANARE OF JOMIAI VILLAGE | DEAD OR ALIVE

Hanare couldn't believe her eyes. There was her picture taken secretly during the hi-tea in the poster. Before she can do anything, she felt someone grabbed her hand and pulled her through the back door.

Hattori.

* * *

"Let's get out of here." Hattori said, leading the way as they walked on the back alley. He immediately pulled back when he saw there were beyond numbers of ninja scouting on the roads. "We can't get out now. There are too many of them." He then turned to her.

"You okay?" He said, peering on her face through the dim light and she nodded, though she tore her eyes away immediately after and hugged herself. Her body can't stop shivering. She always maintained a good image in front of him and the people of the village. But now, everything is ruined. They now know who she really is.

"Hanare." Hattori whispered her name and tried to reach out to her but she evaded him. The honey-hued eyes that looked back at him was one of terror.

"I... I'm not a good woman, Hattori." He can hear the fright in her voice, his heart broke looking at the woman he secretly loved looking so terrified. But, just then, the back door of the restaurant flew open and came out a ninja from inside.

On impulse, he pushed her to the wall and pinioned her body with his larger one and leaned close her to make it look like they are having a secret tryst. But it wasn't enough. The sudden gesture had the ninja suspicious and he walked closer to them with searching eyes. Noticing this, Hattori leaned even closer until he can feel her nervous breath on his cheeks, his lips inches away from hers but she didn't pulled away, not wanting to get caught.

"Excuse me. May I take a look at the woman for a moment?" Inquired the ninja.

For a second, he caught the trepidation from her eyes as she stared at him, as though pleading him to do something. _Anything_. Then, his eyes darted to her trembling lips, the piece of flesh that had made his heart skipped a beat once. And always be.

 _Forgive me, Hanare._

Hattori closed their distance, one hand cupped the back of her head and he met his lips upon hers. She gasped in surprise and he took the chance to deepen the kiss. Over and over, he mapped out her lips with his own, keeping her in safe angle as he did, and changed the other way around because even the ninja started to walk away, his eyes still on them. After make sure he had disappeared, Hattori pulled back from the kiss, catching his breath. Hanare, on the other hand, seemed confused and lost, her chest rise and fall in erratic beats.

"I've always known who you are, Hanare." He started, after awhile giving her time to recover herself. She looked up, his eyes unwavering, and her brows furrowed, looking hurt and betrayed. "And yet you didn't tell me?"

"Because I believe you have your own reason to keep it as a secret." She went silent this time, neither agreeing nor denying. She really can't sort things out right now. The life she had built in the village for years was destroyed in a blink of an eye. The shock was too much that she didn't know what to do.

"Let me take the responsibility. Wherever you go, I'll be with you."

"Responsibility?" She breathed out, puzzled.

"The Hokage was the one who invited you to that place, am I right? It's obvious he made you this way, Hanare." There are hint of anger in his voice as well as jealousy.

"No, he's not." She denied it curtly, strongly. "You don't know anything about me, Hattori." Her hands automatically went to her emerald bracelet, her family heirloom. The jade pearls -the pieces of royalty- shone under the moonlight.

Hattori took a step back and apologized. "I'm sorry." He breathed out. "But I need you to know something." His voice took on a serious tone. "I'm a ninja too." He can feel the slight change of her breathing, telling him all he needs to know that she still have yet to discover that. He resumed as he took a step closer, towering her, "And I currently work for this village. Do you know what that means?"

She kept her ground although the color seemed to dry from her face, and she gave him her harshest glare. "How dare you."

End of chapter 8


	10. Nine - Between The Jail Bars

"Oi! Wake up!" The loud voice stole her slumber and she opened her eyes. Her movement slow, as if her mind has yet to caught up that she was awake... and that she was in prison. The guard sneered as she woke, like a predator having fun just by surprising his prey. He threw a tray of bread and glass of water, spilling it out until only little left.

Oops, he said, and left just as stormily, hitting the bars while singing, mocking her village's song. It was one of the provokes they cast on her but she feigned ignorance to it. Instead, she counted the number of his footsteps inwardly until he disappears, estimating the distance between the cell and the door. She shifted from her seat at the corner and crawled to the tray. She took the whole remaining of the water and returned to her place at the wall, leaning against it. Her eyes closed.

Her brief nap was interrupted as the door of her cell opened. She opened her eyes expectantly; two Iwa ANBU entered and dragged her out to the investigation room. The usual routine, she thought. However, she was brought to another door. Sunlight seeping out from underneath the door, and her eyes narrowed in afraid of the brightness as the heavy door creaked open. There, she was presented with the greens of forest. A strangely calm greenery. After a hard shove on her back, the Iwa ANBU left her then, leaving her alone in the middle of the clearing.

A pair of phantom eyes were on her, she noticed, so she stood on guard.

A swift breeze swept past her, and she turned but met nothing, and it continued on as if testing her, challenging. She focused on the energy around her —the fallen leaves, the rustles of the branches— until there was a hit coming from behind her but she barely dodged it by a hair's breadth.

The figure seemed to blend itself into the wind and later she heard a derisive snort before another hit coming from her front. She stepped back to take the leverage to attack forward, but a hand suddenly pulled her by the collar and the wind de-materialized; a burly ninja with a long scar on his right cheek had his hand firm on her front shirt. She immediately stopped as the face with the distinctive scar seemed somewhat familiar to her.

"You—"

But it all occurred too fast when he pulled her in and headbutt her head with all his might. Unprepared for it, she was thrown few meters backward on the ground. She bit back a growl as she sit up, holding her shaken up head with her hand, warm liquids streaming down her forehead.

"Greetings, Hanare of Jomae. I'm called Gizenji. I'm in Intel Unit that report directly to the Tsuchikage. Apparently your appearance during the hi-tea had caused quite the disturbance to the peace of the village. We can't afford anymore intruder and call themselves citizens of Iwa, aren't we?"

Truthfully, Gizenji was the who planned the revolt of Iwa ninja few days ago despite being an Iwa ANBU. He marched towards her, holding an eerie smile on his chapped lips. He had been dying to meet the one who disgraced his man and left him hanging on the cliff on that night. As far as he was concerned, the ninja who did so was no ordinary one and that she was probably a Masamune. He deliberately stepped on her foot crushingly, and she winced in pain but he pressed on as he crouched before her, never letting her go.

"I know you work for someone. Tell me, Hanare of Jomae,'' he shifted his weight onto her foot, causing her to immediately grasped it with both hands, "Or your bone will pay for it." He had been informed of her persistence by saying nothing during the three days of her interrogation so he opted to his own way; physical torture until she speaks out.

Leveling him a sharp look, she spat blood to his face. He flinched upon the harmless assault and stepped back, wiping it off his face. She took the chance to spring back and gain her bearing.

"You think you can escape again?" Gizenji said, fully facing her, his face wearing a dark smirk. "You know there's no any single law on this land you can beseech protection from. You're not wanted everywhere, Hanare. You're an outcast. Even the people from your village despise you for the death of your Village Chief. I wonder... how could you do that, Hanare?" His voice took on a mocking disbelief and his smirk widened as she charged forward, throwing blow after blow and he effortlessly guarding himself from the continuous hit.

"I didn't kill him." Hanare denied between the blows, "Don't talk as if you know everything about me." She said defensively, keeping up with his speed as he switched to offensive. But a particular high kick hit her and she didn't managed to dodge it, sending her sprawling on the ground.

"It seems you haven't realized how grave the situation is. You're not in the place to speak so mightily." He said, looking at her from above. "We know why you were in hi-tea with the Hokage. And how you made an agreement with him to get the children you were taking care off to get under protection. Surprised, are you? Our eyes are everywhere; in every inch of Iwa. All that happened to you since the Five Kage's arrival has all been planned by me. You don't really know what is happening in Iwa right now, aren't you?" Gizenji said with a smirk, finally confessing his plans all along.

Hanare shook her head violently to get rid of the intense pain inside her head, and to listen to him, to fight him. Though she felt she was seconds from collapsing, she hold on to that fine line and hold her ground.

"I know. You're planning to make me the scapegoat, aren't you?" She spoke with a bitter smile, finally realizing that the moment her bag was stolen she had already been his target. Gizenji broke in merry applause. "You're quick-witted, I'd give you that. But it was already too late. You know, the people of Iwa need someone to blame for what had happened during the revolt or they would never be at ease until they found someone responsible for it. And, with your face all over the town, no doubt that would ease their worry and assumed you are the real criminal all along. Though, you had always been."

His words are like poisons to her. Though in truth, she really made an easy mark for him to switch blames to to escaped himself and make her the scapegoat. Had she had not been invited by Kakashi to the hi-tea, perhaps things might take a different turn...

"I do wonder why the Hokage asked you to join him in the hi-tea. Don't tell me... you both didn't have any special relationship, aren't you? Because that would be too funny! A lowly ninja with an accomplished one. That'd make a perfect comedy!" He laughed hysterically.

She let him savor his moment as she drafted an escape route inwardly. She would no doubt be able to escape had she not been injured as badly, but, she took the chance anyway. She dashed into the forest and not even hundred meters yet she was caught, vice grip on her neck, her legs kicking air.

"I told you you can't escape from this place. You're doomed, Hanare. Unless the Hokage comes here and makes statement that you were innocents, that's the only escape route you have. Not by running away from this place... no. But I doubt he would since that would hurt his reputation as a Kage to be seen with a suspect of a national crime. Or would he? Hahaha!"

"Say anything you want... but I'd die before having you sully my name with your vile crimes!" She hissed, then bit his hand around her neck hard until it bled. She bit on as he tried to pull his hand away. When he threw her particular hard on a tree, she immediately passed out.

* * *

Konoha | Hokage Office

Yamato watched the Hokage rolling a top-secret scroll and handed it to him to keep it into the safe. They just received a very important document from a village that seeked for protection from Konoha ninja regarding their tin mining activities.

Tucking it into his bag, Yamato then addressed the Hokage, "I have a news for you, Hokage-sama, but I need to confirm with you about something first." Kakashi, head now engrossed in the paper work made an inquisitive sound but nodded anyway, never look up to him. "Go ahead."

His voice lowered, "Did you aware that Hanare-san might be a spy?"

The pen in his hand stopped abruptly, and he looked up, "What make you said so?"

Yamato then took out a poster and presented it on the desk. Clearly, there was a picture of her during the hi-tea on it. "Few years back, you said you were able to identify her as spy with the help of your Sharingan. But now that you don't have it, did you noticed any strange behavior of hers when you were with her?"

Kakashi fell into deep thinking, his brows marred harshly. "As far as I concern, no. Although there were some strange things happened to her on that day," he said, reminiscing, "her shamisen destroyed, and she was disappeared the night after the hi-tea. Other than that, I don't think there's any. Where did you get this poster?"

"One of our ninja just came back from Iwa and they brought this." Yamato said. He took a moment before he announced the news. "I would like to inform you that she was arrested as crime suspect for the revolt that happened the other day."

"What?" The Hokage's eyes widened, and his face immediately sink into pensive mask.

"Hokage-sama?" Yamato tried to gauge his reaction, but, to his surprise, the Rokudaime then picked up his pen and resumed back his work as if nothing happened.

"Hokage-sama!"

"Remind you, Yamato, her loyalty lies to no one. She might be working for our potential enemy and we would never know it. Let the matter be." Kakashi concluded, too matter-of-factly.

"But, you're the one who asked her to be your partner! What if because of her involvement with you made her a target of the actual man responsible for the revolt?"

The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "Can you confirm me she's not entirely involve with it?"

Yamato's big eyes widened almost imperceptibly. He was disbelief beyond words. The Hokage didn't ordered so, he realized, but he only made it clear of his opinion and put the conversation to a halt. Yamato didn't retort this time. Emotions outweigh the duties is very unbecoming of a ninja. He bowed then and stalked towards the door and stopped halfway.

"I have a keen eyes for people who is innocent. And I believe she's one of them too." Then he exited the office, leaving the Hokage with his thought. Kakashi sighed and took the poster, eying the alluring woman in the pastel dress.

"I have my own hunch too."

* * *

There was an endless wall around her. A black wall that seems to go on forever. Quiet. Too quiet, she thought. Then a small light poured in one direction. There, on a hill, a cherry blossom tree stood gloriously, petals fluttering beautifully onto the ground. Young Hanare was seen standing under the tree, and in front of her is a boy with a mask.

" _You're here again today. Aren't you cold?_ " She said. The boy totally ignored her, looking at the scenery past her. She asked again. " _Did you eat yesterday?_ " He looked so sullen, and stubborn as if he doesn't want to be disturbed. Just after that, his stomach growled and Hanare chuckled, then produced an onigiri with bonito flakes from her pocket.

" _Here_." The boy stared at the slightly misshapen shape of the onigiri for a moment, curious. As if sensing his hesitation, she said, " _My mother is blind, but it tastes great. I promise."_

Young Kakashi, surprised, finally took the onigiri out of respect and took a bite. Delicious, he thought inwardly. " _What are you doing here? You've been here for days."_ Hanare asked.

" _It's the anniversary of my father's death...and.. I got lost._ " Young Kakashi said curtly and embarrassedly, and Hanare made an acknowledged sound and softly apologized.

" _My father killed himself._ " He started, and she listened, taking a seat besides him. But that was it. He never spoke again never did she, and they sat quietly under the tree, content with only each other's company. But one thing she would never forget; the distant, fearful look in his raven eyes.

" _Please don't look so sad..._ "

She jolted awake from the dream, and the first thing she realized is how cold her cell is, and a hand brushing fleetingly against her cheek.

"Hanare."

A voice called for her. A voice so familiar. Her eyes whipped up, searching for the source of the voice in the darkness, and there she saw he was on the other side of the cell, watching her with that same, fearful eyes.

She tried to reach out to him, but her body felt too heavy to even get up.

"Don't...look so sad." She choke out, her throat felt like burning.

Kakashi gripped the bar so tightly, looking down at her broken form with agonizing feeling threatening to burst from inside him.

"Hanare. Can you hear me?" To be honest, the looks in her eyes frightened him, like she could disappear in moments away like the dusts getting blown by the wind.

"I'm going to get you out of here, Hanare. I promise." That said, she gathered herself up to a sit with all her might.

"I can't allow you to do that." She said in a whisper, though it was too faint to be called such. Yamato, who was on guard interjected. "We don't have much time, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi looked back at her. "I'll figure out how to save you. Until then—"

"Don't save me." She uttered with her most loud voice and it came out faint still. She hold his gaze, "You _can't_ save me, Kakashi. It was all a trap."

"What trap?"

She told him everything Gizenji told her, and his brows marred. "You understand now? We can't be seen together. It would do bad to your name."

"And what good in that name if I couldn't save a single woman?" Kakashi retorted almost immediately, the light in his eyes akin to irritation, blended with frustration. Hanare closed the distance between herself and the bars, carefully touching the hand gripping hard the spherical metal.

"To save something you loved, you must forfeit another." She uttered softly, his hand touching hers in return. Strongly.

"You're telling me to forfeit you?" He asked incredulously, silently telling her he had lost too much. Way too much. He kept his cool however, thinking, "There must be a way. We'll figure it out and come back to you."

"There's no other way, Kakashi." She repeated, making herself clear but Kakashi doesn't want any of that. His eyes flickered to the band around her wrist. He knew that; it is a band that was used exclusively in Iwa that prevent any execution of ninjutsu amongst their criminals. That means she must be enduring the tortures entirely physically.

She saw him looking at the band and then the wounds she inflicted. Immediately she hid her hand away. "I've lived my life this way far longer than you think. Do not concern yourself about me, and leave this place as soon as possible before someone sees you."

"I'm a man before I'm a Hokage, Hanare. I won't let you get beaten again."

"'Prideful ninja don't get swayed by emotions in the line of his duty.' You told me this, Kakashi." He looked stunned for a moment. She pressed on, "You have so much to protect; the people of your village and other places, but not me. If you choose to save me, you'll lose their trusts. Leave me be and—"

He cut her, almost admonishingly, "—and what does that left you with then?"

She answered just as readily, "My pride as a ninja... what else do I have?"

He fell into grave silent, taking in her last resolve look and stood up. Yamato, who was on edge overhearing their tense conversation all along gave her a small bow before trotting behind the Hokage as he exited the place.

The sound of the bolt hit home was so eeriely loud and she slumped on the floor. She must have hurt his feelings by her selfishness, she thought. But it was for the best. As long as she can do at least something useful and protect his name from being tainted.

Just then, she saw a green stuff on the floor just outside her cell. She picked it up and unwrapped the leaves. Immediately tears filled her eyes.

Three slightly misshapen onigiri with bonito flakes greeted her eyes.

End of chapter 9


	11. Ten - Jeopardous Outbreak

Hanare sat on the cold floor for quite some time. Instead of eating the bonito flakes Kakashi had gave her, she kept them in her pocket. Minutes had passed and there were sound of the bolt unlocked. Though it's already late at night, the Iwa ninja took her out into the interrogation room.

He sat her on the chair and tied her hands on the back of the chair wordlessly. The air seemed tense, as if they were expecting some rare guest on that night. When he exited the room, she turned to look at the black mirror, knowing there are people watching her behind the glass. Her stares unfaltered.

Behind the glass, a woman clad in luxurious kimono stared back at Hanare, a little ebony fan fluttered in her hand. The air of nobility she brought into the room radiating silence even to Kurotsuchi, which came along to escort the visit of the Shogun's daughter.

"I hate that face." The lady said in low voice yet hissing with venom, low enough that only she can hear. She snapped her fan close before turning to Kurotsuchi whom attended in the place of her grandfather, the Tsuchikage.

"May I have a moment with the prisoner?"

Her eyes widened a bit, concerned, "She's not an average prisoner, Milady. I cannot allow you to be close to her, unless accompanied by my ninja."

"Don't worry, Kurotsuchi-san. While your ninja are competent enough, I have my own ninja with me." She said with a feigned sweet smile, signaling to her ninja stood not far from her.

"If I may ask, Milady, what business do you possibly have with them?" They had attended to her arrival in the evening for her short visit in Iwa regarding a few matters involving the states in the place of her father, the Shogun.

"I heard she is one of many wanted ninja in your land. I just intent to have a look at one in close proximity, if you don't mind." She smiled, which Kurotsuchi gave a look of understanding.

"You don't have to trouble yourself about the matter. I have my own ninja to settle this. But if you still insist, then, we'll wait for you outside. Take as long time as you need, Milady." With that, she and his ninja left the room, save for the lady and her one masked ninja, Genya.

"Genya. Search her." Now that the room finally deserted from Iwa ninja, she commanded to him, and he moved like a silent breeze to another side of the glass, startling Hanare. Without a word, he ran his hands on her body, making her squirmed as he shoved his hands to every opening of her shirt, leaving none untouched.

With her hands bounded, she struggled on her chair, her feet flying in every possible ways to chase him off but he kept them pinned as he shoved his hands into her pocket, taking out the bonito flake before throwing it away, spilling the contents onto the dirty floor. He kept on searching before he finally took out a jaded bracelet with broken cord out of the secret opening on her pants. Beyond the glass, the woman smiled with triumph as she finally found what she was looking for.

Hanare, seeing that the bracelet was in his hand, she strained in her bounds, desperate. She may let people take whatever they want with her, but not the bracelet. It's the only memento of her mother she was left with. Her voice shaking, "Give it back."

Genya made no attempt to return it and he quickly disappeared to his master, leaving her screaming and struggling in her misery. She cried and pleaded on her seat, her clothes disarray, and the ropes digging into her white skin.

"Hina!" Hanare then screamed at the top of her lungs, her face red in rage when her pleas went unheard, knowing just who was it on the other side of the glass.

"Ah, she remembered me." Hina said with a meaningful smile, inwardly calculating whether or not to meet her face to face.

"Hina-sama, I think I should escort you back to the Tsuchikage. I'll take care of her later." Genya said and she reluctantly obliged. She gave her one last look, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes before they strode out of the room, the bracelet in her sleeves.

A little while after, the ninja she was in charged with, Gizenji, quietly entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"Hanare. So you have connections with the Shogun too? You've never ceased to amazed me, I must say."

Hanare, now heartbroken by the lost of the bracelet hung her head low.

"Since we came from the same village, Jomiai, why not you share this piece of information with me? Everyone's details are clearly written in that secret document of their origin place, but not yours. Tell me. What's your relationship with the Shogun's daughter?"

Hanare huffed, "Why are so persistent to know about me? If I say she's my half-sister, you wouldn't believe me, would you, Gizenji?"

Gizenji had his brows arched high and he shrugged, "Well, it depends. I heard the Shogun's wife now wasn't his first one. They had this rumor that the first wife suffered from some terminal illness or some sort and she was sent to some village to get treated but died afterwards. And coincidentally, Hanare," Gizenji closed his distance with hers, his rough fingers reaching for her unbutton shirt, tugging it open until the white shoulders exposed to the night air, "that was the village they took you from to the Jomiai."

He watched with amused the indignant look she gave him, as well as the split second of blood-lust burning in her eyes. She seemed aware of the killing instinct was about to consume her so she held herself back, her teeth gritted. Her pale shoulders trembled.

"You're a Masamune." He spoke, reaching her disheveled shirt, ready to tear it off. "Admit it."

"I'm not!"

He tore the fabric open, her undergarment now bare to his view. He reached yet again on her bra strap with the same intention.

"Say you're Masamune."

"I am not, you bastard!"

Just before he could rip them apart, a force hard enough sent him flying across the room. A shadow then emerged before her, his familiar wide back made her froze in shock.

"You are marked." Hattori said with a voice so low it made Gizenji back to his feet and took a few steps back.

"What are you doing, Hattori? She's a criminal." Gizenji defended himself, refusing to back away from the well-known Masamune employed by the Iwa, Hattori.

"Because you made her so. Now fuck off." Hattori spat venomously, the very same blood-lust in Hanare eyes alighted in his, like clouds foreboding a storm and Gizenji reluctantly left the room. Now left alone with Hanare, he turned around and shrugged his coat off his shoulders and placed it around her exposed ones, clasping the button to cover her chest. He didn't dare to meet her begrudging eyes as he went to unravel the rope.

He had betrayed her for delivering her to the Iwa ninja. No matter how he look at it, his sin is unforgivable but he wanted to make it right tonight.

"What are you doing?" She asked while she kept her guards up, eyeing him as he helped her to stand.

"I'm going to get you out of here. Can you walk?"

"You betrayed me, Hattori."

Hattori sighed, remorsefully, "I know I don't deserve your apology but I want to fix this. Please, we don't have much time."

Though disbelief still run in her conscience, she followed him out of the room. Through the back door now left unguarded, they sneaked away to the forest but the ever-watching eyes of Gizenji chasing after them made it hard enough for her to catch up to his pace.

Hattori, seeing her steadily left behind, turned around and picked her up into his arms before hopping onto a tall branch and continued their retreat. When they were far enough, he let her down on the ground and faced her.

"This is where we part. I'll hold the ground and you keep running ahead, OK? Someone's waiting for you. He'll keep you safe." Hattori said, his voice earnest.

"You won't come along?" Hanare asked, clearly unaware of the concern showing through her face thus pulling a small smile from him.

"I can't. There's someone I need to protect."

His gaze was sharp, carried a certain meaning that instantly brought back memories of him kissing her and his promise to take the responsibility of whatever befall her. Sensing the fast approaching ninja towards them, she turned to run but he held her wrist. He took out the jade bracelet out of his pocket and placed it in her hand.

"Wha—How did you?" Just minutes ago, she had lost this to the lady's ninja but now that it's back in her hands made her gasped in extreme shock.

"It's important to you, right?" To think that he would take it back from the very secured hand of the Shogun's daughter which is no doubt had countless of ninja guarding her, it is clear now how numerous ninja were chasing them right on that instant.

"Yes... but why?"

"To earn your trust back. That's why." He said matter-of-factly, but none less reassuring in her ears.

"You'll find me, right?" She asked for the last time, as if that would soothe the hammering feeling inside her chest. No doubt there are going to have a bloodshed in the place. And the fact that he's going to face it alone made her heart ache.

"Always."

With that, she ran into the darkness of the forest, leaving him with the tell-tale sound of the approaching ninja.

"This is crazy." An exasperated voice sounded beside him as Yamato readied himself to face the enemy. Just like the plan they made between the **three** of them, Yamato came to his aid. Equipped with a mask, he then turned to Hattori. "So what's the plan, Hattori?"

The bushes rustled when a group of Iwa ninja and numbers of elite shinobi from the House of Shogun came from every direction to attack them. Hattori, a faint smile sat on his face as he pulled out his sword from its scabbard, ready to run amok for the rest of the night. The blood-lust now clear in his eyes.

"We kill."

End of Aria #10


	12. Eleven - Sukea

She kept on running for minutes more, the endless darkness around her had gulped her into a timeless vacuum yet she persisted.. All inside her head was getting away as far as possible despite of her lungs deprived from oxygen and her bare feet scraped with fair amount of scratches and bruises. She stopped then under a tree to catch her breath, and that was when she caught the silhouette of a man materialize from the blackness ahead.

There's a man with brown hair, a vertical purple streak across both eyes to his cheeks. He seemed clueless as he walked with a camera in his hand, stopping momentarily to admire the moonlight on the night sky before taking a picture of it. Her breath almost stopped when she caught the sound of people closing in from behind. She was about to flee but seeing the man before her was probably far more vulnerable to the attack occurring behind her, she ran to him and grabbed him by the wrist.

"O-oi! What are you doing?"

She found themselves a clearing fit for two people under a giant tree and she pushed him inside before fitting herself beside him. With her finger on her lips, she told him to keep quiet, and he strangely obeyed despite the feigned confusions showing on his face.

Kakashi, whom now in his disguise form as Sukea felt the tight grasp of her hand around his wrist. Trembling almost.

He, without thinking, asked, "Are you scared-?"

Hanare quickly pressed her hand on his mouth, silencing him, an admonishment clear in her eyes. The faint sound of footsteps and whispers on top of their head had them hold their breaths before confirming their departures moments later.

She released a soft however relief sigh and pulled her hand away from him, leaning against the dirt behind them. Her heart was beating so fast until just now and she glad it got a chance to recover now.

"What are you doing in this place?" She asked as she turned to Sukea, but rather he handed her a bottle of water. Her eyes first seduced by the water but later fall to his feigned trembling hand.

"Are you scared? It's okay now. They're gone." Hanare said comfortingly, _unsuspectingly_ to the seemingly weaker man. Sukea nodded meekly and Hanare took up his offer, chugging it down only until half left.

"You stay with me, OK?" Hanare said as she handed back the bottle, "You'll be safe."

"Um.. From whom are we hiding exactly?" Sukea asked timidly while trying his best to stay in his impromptu character, also to stifle his mirth for being the one protected.

"From bad ninja." She answered briefly and wearily, her eyes closed, and he took it as sign to give her some needed rest. Quietly, he weaved a ninjutsu and created a safe, soundproof cocoon around them. He then stole a glance to her exhausted profile, and his brows marred in self anguish.

This isn't the peace he had fought for during the war. While things might have calmed down in all villages but there were certain barbaric elements left especially in mistreating the rogue ninja, to name a few. He wanted an all-inclusive peace for all and yet he knew it wasn't easy for him as a Kage to even complement it in his own land. But, despite of it all, from his hearts of heart, he knew that wasn't the only reason why he involved himself in this affair. Or that to amend his mistakes for exposing her to public by her appearance with him.

It was far more than that.

"Are you a photographer?" She asked, her voice cracked a little as if she forced it out just to accompany the poor, frightened man. Sukea, noticing this, cursed himself inwardly for the poor choice of character. He nodded nonetheless and came up with another spontaneous, believable back story.

"You know," Hanare turned half her body towards him, a warm look in her eyes as they raked all over his face, "You look so much like someone I know."

He was caught off guard by the comment but instead of brushing it off, he decided to know what she thought of him, for he realized she was clearly on guard every time he was around. She was never approachable like this. Like a wild dove she is, if pursued they flew away. Now that it's in his hand, he won't let this chance go to waste.

Despite the risk of getting exposed, he daringly stared back into the kunoichi's eyes, "Really?"

"Mhm. I'm glad it was you now with me and not him." She began, in her mind vivid the image of Kakashi walked with all his glory during his arrival in Iwa about a week ago. He carried an incredible presence, larger than life even from so far away.

"I wouldn't want him to see me in this state."

Shock went through him, and he asked, "What do you mean?" She was silent for a moment. as if looking for words and then she continued. "The first time we met, we had part ways in a rather... shameful manner for a kunoichi. For me. I had emotionally mixing together my feeling into my duty. He criticized me for it and it was the worst feeling ever. He was right, though, but I don't want to experience that feeling ever again." She said wistfully, and the memories of their parting few years ago in Konoha came back to him.

"Since then, I decided to become an honorable kunoichi in my own way. That's why I don't want him to look at me like this. Not now. And that's why I refuse his help when he came to visit me in my cell. Though I wonder if I hurt him?" Her stares lost in the grass on her feet.

"He's proud of you." His declaration made her head whipped up and she turned to him. He hold her gaze earnestly, smilingly, "I'm sure of it." Hanare was speechless, for strangely she felt like it was a genuine compliment from Kakashi himself so she laughed it off.

"You're so silly. Though I thank you for your kind words." As if that had broken the awkwardness between them, they began to warm up to each other...like the real, punishing world around them had never exist. Though in eventuality her energy betrayed her. Murmuring that she would take a nap and to wake her up if there's any strange noise, her hand lightly squeezed his comfortingly.

"Don't you worry, Sukea..." She slurred, eyes closed. And Sukea, or Kakashi in actuality, can no longer hid his amusement on this strange turn of character. A gentle, pleasant smile sat well on his handsome face as he stared at her sleepy face. Being by his side now, she might never know that she currently in the safest place on earth ever.

"Hattori... Hattori will come for us."

His smile wilted a bit.

"He...promised me." Her head lulled back and forth, so he put his hand on her nape and gently placed it on his shoulder. A soft breathing then followed. A mix feeling conflicted over him. Like a gentle poke to his deepest of heart and yet they lingers.

"I hope so, Hanare." Despite it all, he whispered inaudible prayer for Hattori and Yamato to make it back unscathed.

* * *

It has been a week since she had been staying in the small house located somewhere far-away from Iwa. When she came to the other day, she had woke up to a very high fever and that she was lying in the middle of the house. Though vague it may be, she remembered Sukea entered through the door with a very troubled expression with Yamato in tow but instantly lights up to her waking up.

Yamato's presence had brought fair suspicions through her initially but he quickly, scriptly-elaborated covered it up by saying he came with his own volition and without Kakashi's knowing, claiming he was busy with meeting in Water Village with the Mizukage. She seemed disheartened though subtly, and when she wasn't looking, Yamato earned himself a sharp jab to his side from the Hokage for adding up his scripts on the final part without his knowing. He also claimed to witnessed Hattori on that night but never know his whereabouts until now.

Though in truth, on that fateful night, both he and Hattori were clearly outnumbered by the solid force of Iwa ninja plus the Shogun elite. If only he could use his Wooden Style Jutsu, they would surely flee without fail but unfortunately he can't or else it would give out his identity and consecutively placing Kakashi, the Hokage as a potential betrayer of the Shogun. In consequences, Hattori was eventually overpowered was taken to Iwa prison for interrogation while Yamato just barely escaped and immediately searched for Kakashi and Hanare sitting under the clearing and later settled in the safe house. With Sukea saying he was too afraid to leave the forest, he now, _coincidentally_ , end up with them in the safe house.

Yamato now was secretly spying in Iwa prison in search of Hattori.

 _"We'll take the Masamune with us."_

Kakashi had asked him to and he knew he meant business. If the Hokage trust it is for the good of Konoha then he would too. Though except one thing.

"Hoka- I mean, Sukea," Yamato stuttered and he cleared his throat. "What if we alternate our turns to do the job? I think it's better that way since you chose to be a weak man and if anything happens to Hanare, you won't be able to protect her well, would you?"

Kakashi reacted with disbelief, his eyes round with stubbornness. "No way. I'm finally on vacation now, Yamato. Besides, you know I trust your ability to conduct the covert operation all on your own right?"

Yamato casted him an exasperated look. Kakashi knew very well how to made him do the most trivial business that he won't simply by complimenting him. Darn him. But he won't abide by this time.

"C'mon, Yamato." Kakashi dressed as Sukea slang his hand over Yamato's shoulder, persuading, "You know I can't leave because the me right now is a plain coward, right? If I do, it would turn out suspicious would it. Besides, imagine, if what could happen happens, then other things that could happen also could happen to happen, and that happens-"

"I swear if you said 'happen' one more time-"

Hanare suddenly called for Sukea and walked to them with a knowing look. "Oh look at you, Sukea. You've become close to Yamato, haven't you?" In that instant, the murdering air around them had changed into one of friendly.

"Well, that's because Yamato is very strong, and reliable, unlike me. I wish I could be like him." Sukea said with admiring look, then pretending to wipe his tearful eyes. Yamato, unable to watch it any longer, he excused himself to do his very mission that he was left no choice but to take it. They watched him as he go down the hill road.

"I'm going to the same place today. You want to come?" Hanare asked him, and he wondered how to stop her from going. For days now, she had been waiting for Hattori at the same place despite her still-recovering body. Who knows if there are Iwa ninja lurking somewhere searching for her.

"You can't go today." Sukea said, shaking his head.

"You said the same yesterday. Why not?" She asked back but had started walking and Sukea reluctantly followed behind her.

"What if one of the ninja comes out today?"

"I won't go far so don't worry." Down and down they walked, the greenery seemed comforting as if they had known her for a longest time. Not until they sensed an ominous presence few meters ahead. Hanare ducked down, waiting for the rustling figure to expose themselves but Sukea had already pulled her to a nearby tree, his hand on her mouth.

Hanare was startled by his fast reflex and the surprisingly strong arms around her. And the strangely familiar warmth on her back as he held her.

"Who's there?!"

Sukea inwardly made a calculation on the situation as the figure was fast approaching to their hide spot. Then, swiftly, he entangled himself from her and exposed himself to the suspecting ninja. Making a frightened noise, he ran as far as he could with the ninja chasing behind him.

"Sukea!"

While he thought he would distract the ninja, another one came by the sound of her scream, attacking her head-on. Hanare took the relentless hit with her taijutsu while waiting for an opening to his attacks. Her eyes, almost as sharp as one possess a Sharingan, she watched all as if in slow motion and evaded the next attack, hauling herself onto his shoulder then on his head, her feet straight to the sky. With a force equal to a log falling onto the earth, she crushed his head on the dirt yet careful enough to not kill him, leaving him out cold.

She had taken a few steps to where Sukea was but a voice made her halted.

"You're too soft, Hanare." That, and followed by the sound of a neck twisted from the body by a certain hand. The previous ninja she fought now dead.

It was a horror, vivid scene and she impulsively took a step back from the perpetrator, Kakashi, as he advanced towards her. His face dark.

"And you didn't listen to me."

End of Chapter 11

AN: I'm on semester break and my writing juice is overflowing. You guys know what that mean right ;) In case you were wondering, Sukea appeared in Naruto Shippuuden episode 469 where they finally revealed Kakashi's face.

A really big virtual hug to Prescripto13 for staying with me since yearsss ago until now. I won't made it this far without you. You're awesome!

As for th eupcoming chapter, expect a very mature content hewhew 3:D

-toshimi-senpai


	13. Twelve - The Portrait

**(Warning: NSFW content ahead)**

Kakashi made his way towards her. The hands that just ripped life off a body balled into fists. She took a step backwards by reflex. And another, until her back hit the trunk of a tree.

"I told you to not go into this part of the forest." His eyes blazed so coldly, like a grim reaper that he was. Hanare couldn't utter a single word as she was gripped with shock, and undeniably fear to his enraged profile. He was so near to her that she could feel the heat from his body.

"What are you doing here?" Just a level above whisper, she forced her voice out.

"No. What are _you_ doing here, Hanare?" He reversed the question back to her. His eyes never leave hers.

"I was waiting for Hattori." Hanare said confidently this time, steeling her stare back into his.

"Hattori?" Kakashi's brow arched. He casted a glance to the dead body behind him and, with a sigh, he turned back to her.

"Is he that important to you?"

Hanare nodded.

"Then why did you ventured into this area unprotected? You want Yamato and his effort to saved you go to waste when these guys discovered your hiding place?"

"I didn't—!"

"You're too reckless, Hanare." Kakashi said with aloof voice but the anger threaded alongside it was too apparent to ignore. "You didn't killed him, and that was your mistake. What would you do once they wake up? Can you face them all on your own? You can't expect some miracle to happen every time you were attacked by these men."

"I didn't expect for some miracle." She denied strongly, looking hurt. "Did I ever asked for your help? No. I didn't killed him and call it my mistake all you want because I can't. For hundred years since ninja existed, I might be the only one who can't kill but at least today I'm still alive."

In that instance, Kakashi punched the trunk beside her head so violently that a deep hollow formed underneath it. Hanare flinched as he did. His brows marred so harshly, angrily.

"What are you saying?" He ran his eyes all over her face, trying to read whatever expression she made despite her rebuttal silence; of her stubborn honey-hued eyes staring back at him and the oh-so beautifully tight-held lips.

"Just as I said." She breathed out with steel resolve.

"Do you want to die so badly?"

One heartbeat. Then two. "It's inevitable. It will come eventually."

"Not that. Don't you want to live?"

"I'm trying." She replied a little bit strongly, her emotions started to rush into her. "I tried my best to fit into the society. I have multiple works in one day. I pay the taxes. All of that to conceal my true identity and to live a normal life, but wherever I go they keep on coming."

"Who are they?" His voice softened a bit.

"Just... _them_. Please, Kakashi," She swallowed and looked up at him, "I won't ask for anything else just please help me save Hattori. He's innocent. He just wanted to help me." Kakashi doesn't look convinced enough then, so she pressed on. "I promise I will surrender myself to them once he is saved."

"What?"

"I've lived long enough." She declared without a moment's hesitation, "I have nothing more to lose."

"But I don't want to lose anymore." His voice surprisingly gently, yet so desolately as if he's pleading her. When he touched her cheek, caressing her tenderly as if he's handling something so precious made her heart wrenched. He was like a lone boy so afraid getting his stuff taken away from him again.

The feather-like caress then carefully, painstakingly descended to her lips, tracing the fullness of it with his thumb. He leaned close and softly, he kissed her and pulled back right away, as if testing it.

Again. And again.

"Hanare." There was something enticing in the way he said her name; something she had always secretly fond of when his voice caressed her name the way only he could. Although in all honesty, she was afraid of where would this lead them.

But, despite of it all, she can only live once. What is there to lose?

In lieu of a response, she closed her eyes.

"Mn..."

What begins as soft lips meeting thin fabric soon changed as Kakashi hurriedly pulled down his mask and took her lips in tentative kiss that quickly turned searingly passionate.

"Mmn..!"

His hand tugged at her hair while the other pressed her close, tilting her chin to claim her from every angle possible while steadily stealing the breath out of her. His tongue licked at the seam of her lips, parting them so he can find his way inside. His teasing, searching tongue felt hot against hers.

She tried to tilt her head to the side but he followed her, and kissed her once more. Tugging at his sleeve, she tried to free herself but Kakashi entwined his fingers with hers instead, stopping her. Hanare then squirmed, but that just make him kiss her with more intensity.

"Can't breath, can you." He asked teasingly while watching her gasping for air. The sight of her swollen lips he just ravaged had awakened the hidden desire within him, making a certain part of his body impossibly hard.

"I've decided." He glided his lips to her ear, gently kissing it, "I won't let you go."

* * *

Hattori slumped forward within the bound of the electrical chair. His breath ragged. Bloods coming out from the pores of his body that now bare waist up. The metal straps wrapped around his fingers and toes, and they jerked pointedly every time Gizenji switched the power on.

"Tell us. Where did you hide Hanare?" Asked Gizenji for the umpteenth time, and Hattori stared back, followed by a weak smile.

"Suspicious, ain't it?" He uttered weakly as he threw his gaze all over the torture room. There stood one Iwa ninja as observer, and another from the House of Shogun, Genya. "What does a ninja from the Shogun possibly want from a rogue ninja?"

Genya kept his composure, indifferent as usual as he spoke up. "She stole a treasury belongs to the Shogun family. We are obliged to take an action against the suspect. And it appears that you displayed yourself as her accomplice when you set her free and stole the bracelet back from Milady Hina."

Hattori spat blood repulsively in response, and before he even can talk back, Gizenji pressed the button and Hattori's body shook up so powerfully that the chair rattled before he collapsed on the chair, his breath heavier than before.

"Gizenji, I will come back for you and fold you like blanket," he said, his eyes blazing exhaustively yet dangerously, "And chop you into pieces, you prick."

Throughout the interrogation, somewhere in the shadow of the room, Yamato was there spying on each words and taking mental notes on every occurrences in the room.

* * *

She didn't know how they end up in the safe house—or rather she was too occupied by the mastery display of his lips and tongue upon her that she had lost the shifting of location around her.

"Kakashi..." On the clumsily spread out futon, she reached up to him, admiring the Hokage's hidden face for the first time.

"You're breathtaking." She whispered with such awe that it made him chuckled. "That's an understatement. It's you are."

He noted then the scarlet tinged her face and down her neck. "You're feverish. Are you sure you're healed yet?"

She nodded, half-dazed. "Wait...where did you know I had a fever?"

He took off his vest, the arm and headband and everything that marked him as a Kage and left him all man. He returned on top of her and nuzzled the crook of her neck.

Ignoring her query, "You still have a little fever alright. Want to sweat it out together?"

Blood rushed yet again to her skins, making her impossibly hot again. Yet she snaked her arms around his neck though bashfully.

"Yes, please."

He began to work apart her plain dress. Her heart thumped wildly as his fingers ventured to places no one had touched before. Kakashi's hands and lips touched every part of her body, making her body clench and rush with pleasure.

When he finally teased at her breasts, suppressed moans escaped her lips and he decided it wasn't enough. His mouth enclosed around a pink tip and sucked hard followed by a gentle nibble, making her cry out.

"Mnn.. Kakashi..."

His restless fingers teased at the neglected ones while the other trailed lower. He teased at her opening, working her open continuously while he stared at her squirming and panting. Having him watching her so openly while she moaned in pleasure was too embarrassing so she covered her heated face with her hands.

"Don't hide from me." He kissed each of her fingers and pried them open one by one. "Show me all of you." She did as was told and saw that his own breath began to grow quick, leaving its heat upon her skin, giving the assurance that he too, was feeling it. Like a big rush of waves, she could feel something strong is coming, and it frightened her so she quickly grabbed his hand.

"Kakashi...I'm..."

He stopped as she pleaded, surprise colored his face. "Is this your first time?"

She nodded, looking genuinely worried. It truly shocked him, and he kissed her on the forehead to reassure her, while feeling overjoyed by the knowledge.

"You'll be fine. Just let it go." His voice now thick, languid with his desire as he resumed his ministration, while slowly gathering her wrists above her with one hand.

"Ahh!" With relentless flicks of his fingers and thumb, her back arched sharply while her moans long gone into his mouth as he kissed her. Upon the blinding white light, she shattered around his fingers.

 _Beautiful._

He never once regret the loss of his Sharingan but now he does.

 _One more time._

With his fingers still slick within her, he worked them for the second time, coaxing the sweet moans out of her again. Only this time, his mouth joined his fingers until she shuddered uncontrollably, filling the empty house with her cries.

When she finally recovered moments later, he had already shed the remaining of his clothing, revealing his muscled chest and body into view. The long cross scars traversed from his abdomen to his chest made her fingers twitched to have it touched. That, and she immediately tore her eyes away in embarrassment as they went downward. Everything about him is large and strong and so full of life that she began to shake her head furiously to chase the image out.

"Hanare." Kakashi took both her ankles and pulled heir close to position himself between her legs.

"Can I?" Tenderness bloomed in her heart as she watched him restraint himself so; light blushes high on his cheeks while beads of sweat ran down his chin. He's not the man she admired from afar nor there's need to feel out of place now. He's now her lover.

She nodded. "I want to feel you too."

With a groan, he began to fill her inch by excruciating inch, all the while watching her expression and telling her to breath, but when she steadily looked far from comfort, he stopped moving.

"Are you alright?" She felt his hand brushed tenderly against her cheek and she opened her teary eyes, clutching his hand back.

"I'm alright... just...go for it." She said despite the searing pain, panting all the while. "I can handle it." Hanare smiled, wanting to offer reassurance just like he did.

Then, his fingers did the wicked again, using the pleasure as distraction as he eased himself even deeper and suddenly, so suddenly he pulled her from the bedding into his laps.

"Aaahh!"

She tried to gain her bearing while holding on to his shoulders, but when he thrust upward while pushing her hips all the way down, she bit hard on his skin yet again, almost tearing it apart.

He groaned from all the sensation but he kept still, he leaned close to her ear. "You're doing good, Hanare. Very good, in fact." He rocked her gently, then, his hands rubbed her back to soothe her as he worked her through the shock.

"Kakashi..." Between how tender a lover he is, and the joy of finally being one with him, she tried to blink back her tears and yet they keep on coming.

"Are you alright?" He thumbed away the tears, concern in his voice.

To answer him, she kissed him sweetly on the lips, trying to bury the memories of him, of his beating heart, of his voice, and the fullness of him. When there come times they will get separated again, she knows where to find him.

He began to move in earnest, his subtle movements gradually changed to faster ones. In that instant, she toppled out of his lap, hitting the bedding just as he buried himself deeply inside of her once more.

"Aaaaah! A-ah!"

He worked quickly now, bringing her hips to meet his time and again until the only time she's not screaming is to take ragged breaths. His lovemaking is like a storm, sending her into endless turbulent of waves yet she held on to that fine line of sanity. Watching his handsome face twisted into agonized bliss, her chest floods with love for him.

The more his body forced hers upward, the tighter they held on to each other. Her name chanted like mantra on his lips. Her nails sinking into the skin of his back deeply enough to leave marks, a wound that produced a deep purr of groan reached her ears. He tensed underneath her hands as his thrusts grew desperate. Amidst of it all, she tried to catch a glimpse of his face, cupping his cheek so dearly.

In that moment, she knows she will never love anyone as much as she loves him, nor she want to be with anyone else like this but him ever again.

In those final moments when she felt she could lost forever in the bright summer sky, he finally left his mark deep inside of her, where even she were to leave, it won't.

* * *

He sat near the bedding, his back to her. A gentle look on his face as he took a glance to her sleeping form before turning back, an envelope with confidential sign in his hand. The bold stroke on one side caught his eyes.

REC OF: TSURUKO OICHISAKI REIZEI

Kakashi poured the content onto the floor, spilling a stack of papers old enough that the edges crumbled so easily, as well as a few photos clipped at the back. Carefully, he went through the documents briefly as a particular photo at the back caught his attention.

A portrait.

He detached it from the rest, and his eyes widened by the full view of the old portrait; there was a face of a woman in a royal white kimono, her hair was done beautifully and majestically, fitting for a queen during that era. That didn't stirred him much but the fact that she was the depicting image of the woman sleeping soundly behind him did, only that Hanare was few years younger and without a touch of a motherly look.

From the hazel eyes that turned lighter under the spotlight, the puffy bottom lips and to the oval face. Everything except for the beauty mark that apparently absence in the portrait. He continued to study the picture with unusual focus, trying to find other proves to support his hunch, and he finally noticed the familiar crest engraved on the far-away hair pin.

It was the very same crest he found on Hanare's shamisen the other day.

While he thought the content of the envelope has all the answers he sought, the revelations however only gave him more questions than answers. He went through the document again, reading the date of her death and the cause of her illness; it was about twenty years ago and that she suffered from glaucoma, where could eventually resulted in vision loss and blindness.

 _"My mother is blind, but it tastes great! I promise."_

He remembered she did mentioned that once when the younger him refused to take the slightly misshapen onigiri.

The next few pages wrote about her family; her husband, the current Shogun whom currently bedridden and written there they only have one daughter; Tsuruhina Oichisaki Reizei, which now currently in Iwa for some business in place of her father.

His brows marred harshly, completely unable to linked the puzzles together.

He was informed by Yamato that Hattori 'stole' the bracelet that originally belonged to Hanare from Tsuruhina, resulting of his captured by the Shogun ninja.

There was a missing yet significant link between Hanare and Tsuruhina that he yet to find out.

At the sound of her soft stirring, he turned to the naked goddess behind him. She was curling herself under the poor, thin blanket, looking so unfit now that he finally confirmed that she was of a noble birth.

 _Hanare, what had actually happened to you?_

End of chapter 12

AN: Sorry for the late update. I just returned from vacation in Turkey for a week so forgive me :') There's only two weeks left before I entered my final semester and honestly I'm not sure if there's time for me to write so maybe there's one more chapter for you guys before my hectic life is back sobs TT

Thanks guys for reading! Love ya! And don't forget to review!

-toshimi


	14. Thirteen

The sun was nearly set on the horizon, marking the sky red while birds chirped away to their nests. Hanare hurriedly entered the kitchen, and found that a pot is already boiling, giving out mouth-watering aroma while beside it stood Kakashi shaping the onigiri at the small counter.

"Ah, Hanare. Good morning." Kakashi said good-naturedly while showing her the onigiri in his hand, "Care for some?"

"Good morning." Still in dazed, she trudged towards him like a magnet. The onigiri is all in her eyes. Without any words, she took it from him and munched it right away.

He chuckled happily, "Are you that hungry?"

She nodded, her mouth full, like a chipmunk keeping acorns in its mouth.

"Of course you are." A naughty grin under the mask, he then poked the inflating cheek, "After all I've done to you in the past few hours—"

She immediately choked, hand quickly flew to cover her mouth. The red climbed from her neck to the tips of her ears to her cheeks as she took the water he gave her.

Now relieved, she quickly busying herself by rolling up her sleeves and washed her hands, "Let me do that too, please."

He didn't let her at first and told her to sit, saying it was his turn to do the kitchen work but she knew better.

"I want to help you. Let me do this, OK?" The finality in her voice eventually had him gave in, so he let her beside him and together they worked on the rice.

"Your mother made wonderful onigiri." He began, and she heard a smile in his words and it quickly infected her.

"That she did." They returned to the task at hand as they conversed. "You know, I guess people with disability have a certain talent that outperform most of us. I tried to make onigiri like my mother did but it never taste the same. Likewise, I had this girl with hearing disability that I took care of and she made the best porridge ever. Oh it's not that we asked her to cook but Kira really messed up with her porridge that one time and that girl volunteered to fix it and she miraculously did!"

She had a fond smile on her face as she told him one of a few stories of her past. Decidedly, he listened to her chattering for the first time.

"Because of that girl, we began to learn the sign language. It was hard at first but we managed somehow. Oh, we even learnt the sign language used in the phone. Do you want to know how?"

Fully attentive, Kakashi nodded.

Hanare tapped the wooden counter three times. "That's a yes." Another two taps. "And that is a no."

He made an acknowledged sound, taking in the new knowledge.

"Subsequently, three taps for a thank you and two taps is 'I'm sorry'. Pretty cool, don't you say?"

"Uh-huh. Very." He then asked for her other story and she gladly told him about other children that once were in her care. The onigiri idle in their hands. There were all sorts of new expression on her face and he cherished them all.

"What about your students?" She later asked, eyes now glimmered with interest, "They are Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, right? They have become really famous around here after the war ends. Naruto especially."

A fond, nostalgic smile etched on his lips, "They have grown up so fast, and so strong too. Ahh... Sometimes I miss the three innocent little kids believing in every little tricks I showed them."

Somehow the image of it brought smile to her too. "Tell me more about them." Side by side they stood with rice in their hands, and like old friends meeting up after years, they caught up with one another to make up for the time they had lost.

* * *

They remained on the table as Yamato, who returned just in time before dinner gave the report about Hattori's status to Kakashi. A heavy oppressive silence hanging around them. Hanare shuddered to the dreadful image while Kakashi leant back, his eyes closed, thinking.

Iwa is well known as one of the villages with the most brutal tortures to their prisoners and that particular knowledge had stalled a few long minutes of silence in the kitchen. With bated breath, both Hanare and Yamato waited for Kakashi's decree.

"We're completely outnumbered," Kakashi finally said moments after, staring right into the two people's faces, "but we will take Hattori back. Not by force, but by diplomacy."

Gasps erupted.

"How are we going to do that?" Yamato asked, "Don't say that you're going to..."

Kakashi shook his head, "I'm not the one who will do the talk. Hanare will."

Now four eyes fixed towards her. Clouds hovered in her mind still. "I will?"

"You want to save Hattori, no?" Kakashi asked.

She nodded. "I want to save him, but... how should I do it?"

Kakashi put both his elbows on the table and linked his fingers together. "Before I proceed to the plan," His eyes now demanding the truth, "I need you to tell us your true identity and your relationship with Tsuruhina."

Like a click, Yamato added, "That Shogun ninja claimed that you had something that originally belonged to the Shogun family. Is that true, Hanare-san?"

She hesitated initially, but the unwavering gazes of the two shinobi made her gave in.

"He's right." She took out the bracelet from her pocket and placed it on the table. "I had this bracelet on me for as long as I remember. While I didn't recall whether my mother's the one who gave it to me, I believe she did."

Kakashi took out a portrait from an envelope. "Is this her?"

With frowns on her face, she took the portrait carefully. "This...is my mother?"

"You don't remember?" Kakashi asked instantly, sounding disbelief.

She shook her head. "I don't remember her face."

"I thought you said that she was blind. But you don't remember how she looked like?" Kakashi couldn't help the suspicious outlining his voice.

"They erased my memories when I first came to Jomiai Village. Only fragments came back." She retorted, her own voice laced with frustration, slender fingers rubbing on her temple in attempt to remember them.

Yamato, feeling a little left behind, he took the portrait for a moment before holding it just beside her face. "It's weird, though."

 _At first glance, it was there. But on the second..._

"What is?" Kakashi then joined the inspection.

"Hanare-san, sorry for the trouble but," Yamato, while holding the portrait, his other hand held out like a professional looking for the best angle, "could you face a little bit sideways?"

Hanare, a little caught off guard by the abrupt shift of atmosphere however obeyed, "Like this?"

"A little bit more please.. annnnnd stop!" Yamato looked satisfied enough but then he added, "Now try to smile."

She smiled, awkwardly now that she became the center of attention.

"Uhh.. can you give that smile when.. let's say someone gives you a very cute little kitten on your birthday. And your reaction is-?" Despite his direction, she realized that Yamato wanted her to copy the smile like one in the portrait, so, like a petal unfurling, she smiled gently, _beautifully_. His purpose now forgotten, the reaction is immediate; light blushes crept to his cheeks.

Kakashi took the portrait from Yamato and immediately gave him a scolding. "So you're saying that this noble woman here just received kitten on her birthday? And then she went to the artist to get her smile portrayed?"

He stammered, now realized how silly that may sound. "W-well, who knows. I just want to see the similarities between Hanare and the woman in the portrait. That aside, I've been meaning to ask this earlier but... who is she?" As he turned the paper around, the name stated there somehow seemed familiar. "Your mother," Yamato trailed, his round eyes widened, "is the Shogun's wife?"

Hanare shook her head, looking rather calm as she rejected his proposal. "I have yet to confirm that myself. But Hina," she began, "I first met her about a year ago. She told me to live quietly and to never show myself to the public because someone is secretly after me. I didn't pay much heed to her warning then, and this happened."

"At that moment, do you already knew that she's the Shogun's daughter?" Yamato asked, now looking eager at the topic.

"That's enough. We've heard what is needed." Kakashi stopped anymore interrogation upon her and instead leveled her a sharp look.

"I need you to answer this before I think you're qualified for the task." Kakashi asked, his face serious that it made her nervous. She knew on that moment he wasn't the same person he was few hours ago but a ninja—a Kage assessing her ability. She swallowed, feeling a little bit excited but nervous all the same.

Taking the green bracelet and balanced it between his fingers, he asked, "Are you willing to give this away to save Hattori?"

Eyes on the dangling beads of the bracelet, her heart felt like being shredded into thousand pieces. With these two things; her bracelet and the shamisen lied the memories of her unknown mother that she grew up with. But then again, she needed to save Hattori. She could never choose the bracelet over the life of a man.

Yamato, seeing that she was tearing apart between two, he wanted to voice out that Kakashi was probably being too harsh and that Hattori had risked himself for the sake of the bracelet as well but he held himself back. He needed to trust Kakashi's judgement.

After a while, she finally lifted her chin up, her eyes glowing with unusual determination. "I want to save Hattori and if Hina desires that as an exchange, I'll give it to her."

"That's settled then." Kakashi suddenly stood up, and returned with a map and quickly unrolled it on the table.

"This is the plan of the quarters that Tsuruhina is currently staying. Yamato had this surveyed few days ago when you were still bedridden with fever." He explained to her questioning eyes. Now all standing around the table, Kakashi shot them both an intense, sharp look.

"I need you two to remember this. We're against approximately 70 shinobi of the Shogun and another 30 from Iwa. Exercise extreme caution in every moves and as much as possible, avoid any unnecessary battle. The least the better. This mission will be especially hard for you, Hanare. You're specializing in espionage, right?"

She nodded, now looking fired up, "Am I to gather information?"

"The opposite." A very confident smile on his face. "You'll give out information instead, or should I say, rumors. This isn't a physical battle, but here." Kakashi directed his index finger to his temple. "If my guess is right, Hanare is a threat to a certain someone inside the Shogun house thus she make us a perfect weapon. This is how we begin-"

The discussion dragged for three hours with Kakashi as the leader, strategies set forth on the table like food for the starves as the two executioners listened attentively while offering opinions of their owns, thus honing the plan to perfection.

In times such as these, standing among these two remarkable shinobi and being part of the team had rekindled the once extinguished fire in her heart to search for the insignificance; her true identity.

* * *

An older maidservant entered the kitchen, and instantly the hushed whispers died down. The maids returned to their posts in the kitchen with hurried pace.

"Still going on with that?" She said with demanding tone, looking around the younger maids with a look almost transcend to a glare, "The dead cannot return to the world of the lives. Stay focus or I'll send you back where you belonged."

When Chiyo, the head of the maidservant left the kitchen, one of them quickly resumed the gossip as if her warn earlier was nothing more than a white lie. "It's true, I tell you. These so-called elite assassin have a very dark side in which they would turn into a beastly creature whenever they got angry and they will lost control of themselves, killing whoever near them."

"Is that even true?" One of the maid refused to trust the rumors, "Masamune is owned by the Shinobi Alliances thus they are supposed to keep us safe, right?"

"They are. But their existence itself in the first place is a curse. That's why they take Masamune in and use them as tool to safeguard between nations."

"Let's forget that." One of them said in finality. "It's not that we have any Masamune around let alone to see them change into this beastly creature."

"Oh! There's one!" A younger maid cried excitedly, "Hattori!" That and soon followed by giggles by few of them.

"A very handsome blacksmith indeed!"

"And a strong fighter too!"

While the news that he was captured never made it to the society to protect Iwa's reputation, they kept on and on until a very pale looking maid appeared on the doorway, her legs wobbled as if ready to faint.

"Kaoru! What happened?!" They surrounded her, making quite a show as a few ninja came into the crowd. Sitting her on a chair and gave her some water, the once lively atmosphere now vanished. Like a curse, Chiyo's warning crept back into their minds.

"What are you all fussing about?" There came Tsuruhina with her black fan in her hand, and immediately the ninja and maid stood up, eyes on the floor except Kaoru.

"You." When all of the maids opted to keep their mouth shut, she directed the fan to the pale-faced maid. "Tell us what happen."

"Sayuri didn't lie." As commanded, Kaoru said in faint whispers, referring to yesterday's incident. "I saw _her_ too."

The ninja that absolutely have no idea what's happening then interrupted. "Who? Who did you saw?"

She looked back at Tsuruhina with fear obvious on her face.

"The deceased first wife of the Shogun."

The fan slowly fall to her side, her face bleached red. Her footsteps rattled the doors lightly as she ran back to her room. Calling for Genya, she told him to strengthen the security, knowing that the one and only people who shared the same look as stepmother, Hanare, is coming.

* * *

The moonlight shone into the room through the small window. There, very near to the window pane, she stood alone, looking into the sky, straight-backed and strong-shouldered, like a soldier counting her last hours before the final battle.

"Good job today, Hanare." Unfortunately, Kakashi's approval went unnoticed as her vacant, skyward gaze now lost into the darkness of the night. Seeing that she needed some time alone, he let her be, but carefully, he tried to lace his fingers between hers, but the first fluttering touch instantly brought her back to reality. Surprised, she instinctively pulled her hand away.

"You alright?" Despite of himself, Kakashi was first to ask. She nodded in response, a ready smile on her face.

"I'm alright."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed in response, knowing all along that she's not. For days they had been living together, he realized that she tend to keep some things to herself, and that knowledge alone had brought another realization that she probably had lived that way for a long time, small shoulders carrying burdens that she cannot put into words.

All of a sudden, she bowed deeply to him, the movement so sharp, so determine that it surprised him.

"For giving me the chance to be part of this mission, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." She declared readily, putting her all to express her utmost gratitude.

"What?" The gesture had caught him by surprise. He sighed then, but in a good way. "Lift your head, Hanare."

She did, slowly, and once she met the onyx in his eyes, a comfortable weight rest on top of her head. Like she did to him once many nights ago, he ruffled her hair so gently, the warm in his eyes matched the touch of his fingers. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done a good job yourself too."

All this time, she tried to give herself false bravery to shake off the weakness of her own heart. But being the subject of his warm touch especially at these times had somehow touched the very core of her being. All bottled-up emotions now spilling like waterfall, her shoulders shook in effort to contain herself from falling too deep.

"I'm sorry..." Clumsily, she wiped away the tears running down her cheeks.

Softly, he asked, "What are you apologizing for?"

A sob, then two. "I don't know..."

 _How precious._

As strict as a teammate, as steadfast as an old friend... and as tender as a lover, he closed their distance and pulled her into the safe circle of his chest.

"Was it hard?" He felt her nodded through her wracking sobs. It's too cruel where the world she lived in; abducted from their homeland, their memories robbed away and forced to fight battles that wasn't theirs. He's sure that there were many more out there that were striving to live like a normal people does, and that thought alone had his jaw clenched in self-frustration.

"Hokage-sama, there's a call from the Council-"

Yamato thwarted in his pace as he arrived in the room, where Hanare instantly separated herself from Kakashi. Slightly annoyed, he took a step forward as if to hide her crying form behind him.

"Talk away, Yamato." Kakashi ordered firmly, and Yamato, finally recovered from the surprise repeated, "I just received a call from the Council. An urgent meeting is to be held two hours from now."

Shadow of incredulity darkened his face but later he sighed in exasperation. He knew what it means to have meeting in the middle of the night; his clone at home was discovered and now he needs to return to explain himself to the elders.

"I need to go back for a bit." After telling Yamato to wait for him outside, he said with discreet carefulness.

"Go." Wiping the last of tears on her face, she gave him an encouraging smile, as if the cry had gave her a renewed strength. "I'll be right here."

Kakashi nodded. "We'll come back by dawn. Wait for us. No matter what." Giving him a firm nod, his roughened hands wrapped in finger-less glove then cupped her cheeks like a hug, fingers brushing away the remnants of the tears.

"Tell me all about it later, OK?"

It gave reassurance into her heart in the most comforting way, like a warm blanket wrapping her during a snowy night.

She watched him disappeared at the door, and on the same place she waited until the morning comes. Unease began to fill her when the sun starting to shine brightly on the sky, and their mission was supposed to start at dawn since Tsuruhina are scheduled to left Iwa around ten o'clock. At this point on, she realized that everything they had planned before will all go to waste if she keep on waiting. As well as her desire to know her true self from Tsuruhina.

Leaving a short message on the table, she left.

End of chapter 13

AN: Now we're approaching the first major climax of the story. But don't worry the story will end on its eightieth chapter or so and there will be one more major climax before we come to an end. The next chapter might come faster than usual since I've wrote almost half of it so wait for it!

-toshimi


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